Dibbers and Bulb Planters - review

Dibbers poke holes in the soil to plant seeds, seedlings and small bulbs. The process of planting with a dibber is called dibbling. The trick is not to poke too deep a hole (or too shallow - though this is a less common mistake). Dibbers (sometimes called Dibbles) are better suited to light soils that give easily when the Dibber is inserted. When a dibber is pushed into heavy soil, the soil on the sides of the hole may become too compacted for roots to be able to penetrate.

Dibbers are available with a variety of different styles of handle - straight handles, T-handles and D-handles. They also come in different widths. Thinner dibbers are best for seeds and small seedlings. Thicker dibbers are better suited to bigger seedlings and small bulbs. A dibber is not the right tool for planting larger bulbs.

Unsuprisingly, this is where the bulb planter comes in. A bulb planter is a bit like a hollow dibber and works like an apple corer.Bulb planters are either hand-held or have a long handle and can be operated from standing. If you invest in a quality carbon-steel bulb planter, your investment will reep rewards in time. A carbon-steel bulb planter will hold a good edge thus saving an awful lot of unnecessary exertion trying to force a blunt planter into the ground. It will also be stronger and less likely to break.