8GardenNews /July 5 2011 July 5 2011 / GardenNews 9

Tried & tested / Rakes

6 Sneeboer Rake
rLength166cm(651/2in)
rWeight 1240g
rHandleash
rGripbulbend
rComfort &usability

rRakeheadstainless
steel; roundedtop; 30cm
(12in) long; eight curved
teeth6.5cm(258in) long
rPriceguide62.95
AvailablefromHarrodHorticultural
7 Spear &Jackson
E-Series Soil Rake
rLength159cm(62in)
rWeight 1095g
rHandlealuminium; crankedhandle
for ergonomicuse
rGripssoft plasticat middle
andtop
rComfort &usability

rRakeheadstainlesssteel;
fat top; 30cm(12in) long; 12lightly
curvedteeth6cm(238in) long
rPriceguide31.99
8 WilkinsonSword
Stainless Steel Soil Rake
rLength152cm(60in)
rWeight 1240g
rHandleash
rGripnone
rComfort &usability

rRakehead stainlesssteel; fat

top; 29cm(11in) long; 11teeth6cm
(238in) long
rPriceguide27.99
9 YeomanStainless Steel
Soil Rake
rLength151cm(59in)
rWeight 812g
rHandlealuminiumcranked
handlefor ergonomicuse
rGripssoft foamat topand
middle
rComfort &usability
rRakeheadstainlesssteel; fat top; 30cm(12in)
long; 12curvedteeth6.5cm(258in) long
rPriceguide19.99
Raking up the dirt!
Geoff Hodge tests a
line-up of rakes on his
allotment to
find out which
are the best
for seedbed
preparation
A
GOODgardenrake is anessential piece of gardening kit for
raking over the soil, breaking uplumps andmaking a fne
seedbed, ready for sowing seeds or laying turf. Andtheres
nothing more satisfying thanstanding back andlooking at your
handiwork a beautifully fat patchof soil, consisting
of a fne tilth well until the cats start digging init!
Obviously, the larger the rake head, the more soil youcancover, although
very large heads, depending onthe material theyre made from, canmake the
rake more topheavy.
Those rakes witha fat upper surface onthe headcanbe turnedupside
downto rake the soil level.
Whenever youbuy any gardening tool its essential that youtry it out in
store frst. Check the weight, balance andthe lengthof the shaft because you
shouldaimto standas upright as possible; bending puts pressure onyour
spine andresults inbackache.
Youalso want to check that the tool is comfortable to use; smoothhandles
andhandgrips canbe important to helpprevent blisters andcalluses.
Thetest
I testedthe rakes onmy allotment. I was looking for one that was comfortable
to use andeasily produceda fne tilthanda fat seedbed.
I foundthat rakes withteeththat were thin, curvedand/or pointedmoved
throughthe soil more easily, but there wasnt muchbetweenthem. Andthe
longer the teeth, the deeper youcancultivate.
As for raking ability, they were all very good, all rating three stars except
the Fiskars QuikFit Universal Rake, whichstoodout andratedfve. This just
goes to prove my suggestionof always testing something before youbuy it to
see howcomfortable andsuitable it is for youwithregards to length, weight,
balance andusability. I didhave three favourites inthe standardrakes
JosephBentley, Spear &JacksonandYeoman, but I couldonly choose one
Best Buy, whichwas basedonweight, lengthandprice.
1 BulldogTools
Premier GardenRake
rLength155cm(61in)
rWeight 1410g
rHandleash
rGripnone
rComfort &usability:
rRakeheadalloysteel;
fat top; 30cm(12in) long;
12lightlycurvedteeth
7.5cm(3in) long
Priceguide30.90
2 Draper Tools
Stainless Steel GardenRake
rLength144cm(56in)
rWeight 1044g
rHandleash
rGripnone
rComfort &usability

rRakehead: stainless
steel; fat top; 30cm(12in)
long; 12teeth6cm(238in) long
rPriceguide17.75
3 Fiskars Power
Universal Rake
rLength161cm(63in)
rWeight 1290g
rHandlealuminium
rGripssoft plasticat top,
plasticinthemiddle
rComfort &usability

rRakeheadaluminium; fat
top; 41cm(16in) long; 15ofset
teeth, alternatingroundedandcurvedand
arrow-tipped6.5cm(258in) long
rPriceguide32.99
4 GardmanMoultonMill
LongHandledStainless
Steel Soil Rake
rLength148cm(58in)
rWeight 1020g
rHandleash
rGripnone
rComfort &usability
rRakeheadstainless
steel; fat top; 30cm(12in)
long; 12teeth6.5cm
(258in) long
rPriceguide19.99
5 JosephBentleyStainless
Steel GardenSoil Rake
rLength: 145cm(57in)
rWeight: 956g
rHandle: oak
rGrip: none
rComfort &
usability
rRakehead
stainlesssteel;
fat top; 30cm(12in) long;
12teeth6.5cm(258in) long
rPriceguide22.99
Win one of our
Best Buy rakes
rWE havefveof bothof theBest Buy
rakes togiveaway! Sendyour name
andaddress toGardenNews Garden
RakeGiveaway, MediaHouse,
PeterboroughBusiness Park,
PeterboroughPE26EAor enter online
at www.greatcompetitions.co.uk
Closingdateis July12. If youwin,
youwill receiveoneof therakes.
rPleasewritedonot contact if you
dont want tobecontactedbyus
or bycarefullyselectedpartner
organisations.
www.gardennewsmagazine.co.uk
Saving seed
Its time to start collecting your own
seed followour guide Page 13
rBulldogTools
tel: 01279401572
www.bulldogtools.co.uk
rDraper Tools
tel: 02380266355
www.draper.co.uk
rFiskars
tel: 01159277335
www.fskars.com
rGardenafromHusqvarnaUK
tel: 08448444558
www.gardena.com
rGardman
tel: 01406372237
www.gardman.co.uk
Suppliesdirect togardencentres&stores
rHarrodHorticultural
tel: 08454025300
www.harrodhorticultural.com
rJosephBentley
tel: 01905798666
www.josephbentley.org.uk
Suppliesdirect togardencentres&stores
rSpear &Jackson
tel: 01142814242
www.spear-and-jackson.com
rWilkinsonSwordfromEPBarrus
tel: 08458941599
www.wilkinsonsword-tools.co.uk
rWolf-GartenfromEPBarrus,
tel: 01869363636;
www.wolf-garten.co.uk
rYeoman
tel: 01905791984
www.yeomangarden.com
Suppliesdirect togardencentresandstores
BEST
BUY
GardenNews
Suppliers
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rInterchangeable tools
TOOLSinmygardenshedareinterchangeableones. Youbuyasinglehandlethat istheright length
for youandthenthevarioustool headsthat youneed. Thisensuresall your toolsarecomfortableto
useandtheydont takeupasmuchroomintheshed.
10 Fiskars QuikFit
Universal Rake
rLength162cm(63in)
with1.5m(5ft) handle
rWeight 784g
rHandlealuminium
rGripssoft plasticat top
andmiddle
rComfort &usability
rRakeheadFyberCompplastic;
fat topextension; 41cm(16in)
long; 12curvedteeth9.5cm
(3in) long
rPriceguide
14.99
rHandles
72cm
(28in)
14.99; 1.5m(5ft)
18.99
11 Gardena
CombisystemRake
rLength135cm(53in) with1.3m(51in)
handle
rWeight 868g
rHandleash
rGripnone
rComfort &usability
rRakeheadduroplast-coatedsteel; fat top;
30cm(12in) long; 12curvedteeth6.5cm(258in)
long
rPriceguide15.99
rHandles1.3m(51in)
12.99; 1.5m(5ft) 14.99
BEST
BUY
GardenNews
12 WilkinsonSword
SpaceSaver Soil Rake
rLength148cm(58in) with1.5mhandle,
whichisonly1.43mlong
rWeight 905g
rHandlealuminium
rGripplasticalongthetoptwo-thirds
of thehandle
rComfort &usability
rRakeheadstainlesssteel; fat top; 30cm
(12in) long; 12curvedteeth7cm(23/4in) long
rPriceguide16.99
rHandlesWilkinsonSword3938000WSpace
Saver AluminiumHandle; 1.2m(4ft) handle
9.99; 1.5m(5ft) handle11.99
13 Wolf-GartenMulti-
changeBowRake35cm
rLength164cm(64in) with1.5maluminium
handle, whichisonly1.43mlong
rWeight 1190g
rHandlealuminium
rGripplasticalongthetoptwo-thirds
of thehandle
rComfort &usability
rRakeheadsteel; fat top; 36cm(14in)
long; 14curvedteeth7cm(2in) long
rPriceguide19.99
rHandleswoodenfrom1m(40in) 14.99to
1.7m(5ft 8in) 17.99; aluminiumfrom1.2m(4ft)
8.99to1.5m(5ft) 9.99
GET YOUR WEEKLY FIX!
Stand on a plank when raking
large beds to avoid squashing
finely-raked soil