The hori-hori is a type of gardening knife that is one of the most useful tools to add to a gardener’s toolbox. Originally from Japan, this versatile instrument can function as a gardening trowel, weeding fork, pruning shears, and so much more. And, if you needed even more reasons to love hori-hori’s, they’re perfectly compact and just right for clipping onto your gardening belt.
Measuring between 11 and 15” long overall, hori-hori’s feature a long and slender blade that is about 7” long. Top-notch hori-hori’s are made of stainless steel. One side of the blade is honed to a fine sharpness, while the other side has a serrated edge for sawing through roots and pruning branches.
A must-have for beginning gardeners and seasoned pros, hori-hori’s can make short work of weeds and are one the handiest implements for weedless gardening techniques. But to find out more about hori-hori’s, read on! We’ll cover everything you need to know about Japanese gardening knives below.
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How to use a hori-hori gardening knife
From weeding to pruning, there are so many different ways to utilize your hori-hori gardening knife. Below are some of the many ways you can use this handy tool in your garden.
Digging
Hori-hori gardening knives are extremely versatile tools that can be used just like any standard trowel. The long, sharp blade is ideal for digging in your garden beds when loosening soil or pulling out unwanted rocks. And, with a slightly concave blade, you can use your hori-hori to fill up planter pots with soil, compost, and anything else your potted garden needs.
Planting
When it comes time to plant your seeds and seedlings in the springtime, don’t forget to grab your hori-hori! Just use your hori-hori’s slender blade to carve out a neat path for your carrot seeds and veggie transplants and get planting.
But that’s not all. You can use your hori-hori to dig planting holes for full-sized plants too. But the tool really shows its utility comes bulb planting time.
The length and width of your hori-hori blade is perfectly suited for digging holes for your crocuses, daffodils, and other autumn bulbs. Even better, most hori-hori’s have measurements helpfully etched on the blade’s surface, so you never have to guess about how deep to plant your bulbs. You can measure your bulb holes and plant at the perfect depth every time!
Cutting
Your hori-hori gardening knife can work as a trowel, but it also doubles as a cutting blade for tons of other gardening tasks. If you examine your hori-hori, you’ll see that the blade has both a straight edge and a serrated edge, which can be used for all sorts of cutting, slicing, and pruning chores.
The straight edge of your gardening knife is just right for harvesting tender herbs from your garden or making a bouquet of homegrown cut flowers. It also doubles as the perfecting cutting implement for opening up bags of soil and mulch, trimming landscaping fabric, slicing through irrigation tubing and twine, and so much more.
Flip your hori-hori around, and the serrated blade is ideal for sawing through woody-stemmed herbs and larger brambles and vines, like honeysuckle. You can also slice away at tough underground roots to make weeding and clearing beds that much easier!
Weeding
Among its many uses, your hori-hori gardening knife is one of the best tools to have on hand for weeding and, particularly, cultivating a “weedless garden.” One of the key components of weedless gardening is to eliminate soil disturbance, even when weeding. And conveniently enough, hori-hori’s slender blade keeps you from needing to disturb your garden beds when pulling out pesky weeds.
If you use a standard gardening trowel for weeding, you’ll likely end up digging up far more dirt than necessary because of the trowel’s larger size. This, in turn, may inadvertently sow more weed seeds that were buried deep in your garden beds, meaning you may need to weed even more in the future!
However, with a hori-hori, you can dig a more precise hole around weed roots, so the majority of your soil stays in place. To do this, simply slide your hori-hori blade against the weed you’d like to pull and then push straight down along the weed’s root system. After that, angle your hori-hori handle backward while gently tugging at the weed’s leaves, and the weed should easily lift out.
Hori-hori’s are especially useful for removing weeds with long, tap roots, such as dandelions and burdock. And, if you run into a tangle of woody weed roots under your soil, simply use the serrated blade edge on your gardening knife to slice right through them.
Harvesting
From spring to fall, you can use your hori-hori for a wide variety of gardening tasks, and it really comes in handy at harvest time!
Just like you can use your hori-hori to dig up weeds with long tap roots, it can make short work of harvesting root crop veggies, like carrots and beets. Just slip the blade in at the base of your plant and pull up your crop of luscious veggies without disturbing your gardening soil.
The sharp edges of your hori-hori can likewise be used for slicing your harvest of melons, cucumbers, and beans straight from the vine without harming the plant’s tender stems. And don’t forget, hori-hori’s work well for cutting through the stems of homegrown lettuce, cut flowers, and fresh herbs too!
Root removal
You can use your hori-hori for digging up weeds, but it is also the perfect implement for removing larger plants and pulling up perennials too. The sturdy design means that it can handle tougher tasks, and the sharp blade edges can easily cut through underground roots and rhizomes for faster removal.
Soil aeration
Dense and compacted garden soil doesn’t drain properly and can lead to waterlogged roots or plants that don’t receive enough water or nutrients to grow well. Aerating your soil can help loosen up your garden beds and make sure that roots receive plenty of water and air so they can grow their best.
While there are different ways to aerate your garden beds, one easy way is to simply insert your hori-hori blade gently into the soil around the base of your plants. You don’t want to dig so vigorously that you damage your plant’s root systems, but you can quickly reduce compacted soil with a few well-placed movements of your hori-hori.
Propagation
When it’s time to separate out your perennial plants, you can use your hori-hori to gently tease apart roots and divide your plants. Because of the thinner blade, this tool works well for getting into tight spots, and it won’t cause as much damage to tender roots.
You can also use your hori-hori to snip off a few stems of herbs in your autumn garden. After that, just dab the cut ends in a bit of rooting powder and insert them into a rich, potting soil blend, and you’ll be growing plenty of new herbs starts in no time.
Other uses
While hori-hori’s are usually thought of exclusively as gardening implements, their handy size and sheer utility make them nice to have along on outdoor excursions as well. If you like to camp or practice survival prepping, bring along your hori-hori. It’s just the tool you need for cutting kindling for campfires, moving hot coals around or driving tent stakes into stubborn earth!
Best hori-hori gardening knives to try
If you’re ready to pick up your first hori-hori, it’s important to get a quality piece. Some hori-hori’s are made of inferior-grade materials and won’t hold up to the test of time. Instead, look for hori-hori’s with sturdy construction and stainless steel blades.
Some of our top picks for hori-hori’s on the market include:
Nisaku
This classic hori-hori doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some other pieces, but it is built to last. The 7 ¼” long blade is made of scratch- and rust-proof stainless steel and is sturdy enough for all your pruning, digging, and other gardening tasks.
Hokuru
- MULTIPURPOSE - Use it for digging, cutting, harvesting, pruning, landscaping, weeding, slicing, planting and more
- RELIABILITY - Gardening knife is made from high quality stainless steel with rust-proof blade which extends into a stable, long-lasting full tang handle kept in place by 3 metal rivets
The hori-hori by Hokuru also has a stainless steel blade, but with a twist. This hori-hori is helpfully emblazoned with handy depth measurements, so you always dig the right-sized hole for your plants. It also comes with a sharpening stone and leather sheath for easy storage.
Fiskars
- Ideal for a variety of garden tasks, from digging to opening bags
- Padded, oversized handle provides exceptional grip and comfortable use
A more modern design, the hori-hori by Fiskars has an oversized, padded grip to reduce hand fatigue. The blade is made of aluminum and measures 7” long, and it even comes with a lifetime warranty!
Frequently asked questions
The word “hori” translates into the phrase “to dig” in Japanese. “Hori-hori” is the onomatopoeia meant to imitate a digging sound.
When searching for the best hori-hori gardening knife, look for blades that are constructed out of stainless steel. There are some inferior grade hori-hori’s on the market made of other materials that may break more easily or rust over time.
Hori-hori’s are slightly sharp, but your hands are protected by the knife’s hilt. Some hori-hori blades come with sharpeners, so you can put a finer edge on your blade for specific gardening tasks.
Hori-hori gardening knives were first invented in Japan in the late 19th century.
Summary
The hori-hori is a must-have gardening tool that functions like a trowel, weeding fork, and pruning shears all in one. Compact and easy to store, it is just the right size to slip into your gardening basket when you’re prepping for a full day in the garden.
So, if you haven’t already, why not pick up a hori-hori for this year’s garden? You’ll be impressed by how truly handy this traditional gardening tool is!
If you liked this article, check out our piece on the best tools for home gardeners for more essentials to add to your gardening toolkit!
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