Implementations User Feedback

Chris Beardshaw: There are various theories, ... one of which is that in many soils copper is deficient, and therefore by using copper gardening tools, because copper and copper-derived tools are relatively soft, what you are doing when you're digging in the ground is you are leaving a small residue which will then help to make up for the deficit.

So that's the kind of broad theory. Although I have to say that copper and copper-based gardening tools are relatively few on the ground and there are only a few people who use them, of which I know Bob is one.

Chairman: Why, Bob?

Bob Flowerdew: Well, the one I use is a trowel. It's actually not copper, it's phosphor bronze, which is considerably harder although it's mostly copper. It has other things in it which makes it harder.

I must say it has the best edge of any trowel I've ever used, and it's held an edge for three years. So bronze is not as soft as people think. It's very, very good, it works well, it's heavier than steel which is a slight handicap but not much.

But there are actually other reasons, esoteric reasons. Did you know that between the great wars there was actually a man in Germany making a living gold-plating people's ploughs because they had the theory that again gold was very effective. You could have a cheaper copper-plated plough, but of course the gold-plated plough was the one.

And there are other theories. A lot of people think that magnetism affects plants, and of course copper is non-magnetic. And so when you dig with a non-magnetic tool people believe it has a different effect to digging with a magnetic one.

I personally don't give a lot of credence to that, but certainly I have found them (to) work well, so that's the best reason.

Here is a selection from the comments in our feedback folder.

"The Polux hoe is a lovely strong tool that survives my flint filled garden. Other tools bend!"

"The slug community in my garden has definitely reduced as I have not seen the usual 'traffic queue' now the mornings are becoming moist and dewy."

"The tools are light and easy on the hand when working, but best of all they somehow manage to stay clean, even though we have typical clay based Essex gardens."

"The Sirius Hoe is absolutely brilliant. Perfect to use - so light and easy. Just the right size and weight, and it's true - it has helped to reduce the slug population. My best tool."

"The Castor Trowel is worth every penny. It makes gardening so easy when you are disabled and have to sit or kneel. No matter how hard the soil is, it just glides through it."

"My wife swears by our trowel and our hoe. She says that the difference is that with her iron trowel whenever she comes to a piece of ground again after a few weeks it feels rock solid and takes really hard work whereas after going over it once with the copper it remains light and easily worked."

"This is the best trowel I have ever used. It is much tougher than it looks and is perfect for prizing out stones. It is the one tool that I would rescue from my shed if it caught fire." (Castor Trowel)

"This is the first spade I have been able to dig my allotment with and not have back pain!" (Orion Spade)

Here are a couple more reports about the slug and snail affect:

from Handley Organics, Bromyard Herefordshire:

trialled in tunnels - noticed a large reduction in slugs & snails - now in 4th year.

from Janet Wilkin:

I have a Phoenix Hoe and trowel and use them on my salad table. I have never had slugs or snails (there) and we are on clay soil with lots of the horrid things.

And here are some longer comments:

You should require only a few tools so it is worth buying good ones. The best I have found are made of copper in Austria (www.implementations.co.uk) and last extremely well because copper does not rust. My copper trowel has kept sharp, has a useful pointed end, and has outlived two stainless steel trowels from a well-known store, which simply snapped at a poorly designed weak point below their handle.

From ORGANIC GARDENING The Natural No-Dig Way by Charles Dowding, Green Books 2007, p.21. More details at www.charlesdowding.co.uk

"I bought my trowel at the Malvern Autumn Show two years ago, with birthday money. £20 seemed a lot to pay for a trowel at the time, but it proved to be worth every penny as it is such a pleasure to use. The edge is so sharp you can use it almost like a sickle to cut down growth, and the blade goes through soil like a hot knife through butter.

As Secretary of Beeston in Bloom (Beeston, Leeds that is, a very Urban Community) I do a lot of gardening in the community, in troughs and planters, community gardens, the local park and so on, in addition to my own small garden. My trowel has had more than average use I would say. Unfortunately I left it behind on one of our projects; how I could be so careless I don't know because I treasured it. I hope whoever has it now appreciates it!

Anyway, I couldn't live without it, so I sent off for a new one as soon as I discovered my loss.

My own garden used to be plagued with snails, and the problem has definitely reduced since I started tilling with the bronze trowel. I have recommended it to my friends, but they all think "£20 for a trowel!" It isn't until you actually use it that you realise what an investment it is. I wish I could afford a spade, but that will have to wait.

Congratulations on an excellent product."

Vivienne Bate, November 2006

"We started using a copper trowel in the garden some two years ago and we have had wonderful hostas and other plants ever since. Up to that time, slugs and snails had been a major problem in the garden, with hosta leaves looking like fine lace. We still find the odd nibble on a plant but we can live with that.

... Whatever the scientific validity of the theory, in practice the use of copper tools seems to work!"

The Hardy Plant Society Sussex Group Newsletter, Spring 2005

"I needed to prepare a bed for my French Beans which was weedy and had two plastic bags of leaves on it, gathered last Autumn. There were a lot of large slugs under them which I left where they were. I weeded in my usual way using an iron fork where necessary for deep rooted weeds. I then cultivated using a copper cultivator and a copper rake. This was all done on very dry soil.

Next day I planted some Swiss Chard. The following day there was no slug damage so I planted my French Beans. This was all about 10 days ago and there is still no slug damage to be seen!"

Mike Spence, Hampshire, July 2005

If you are a user of the tools, we would like to hear how you have got on with them.

Please contact us.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jane Cobbald

ripening tomatos