Awhile back in the spring, I posted on my “hoe collection” blog that one of my two favorite gardening tools was the hand digging hoe, also known as a Japanese hand digging hoe. Here’s a link to that original post.

Since then, I’ve received a few comments from people who are looking to buy such a fine hand hoe. So periodically, I’ve done some online searches to find a source, since Smith & Hawken, where I bought mine, does not seem to carry them anymore. Until this weekend, I’ve always come up empty-handed in my searches.

I tried again on Friday by doing a Google search for “hand digging hoe” and was surprised to find that the 1st site listed was the above mentioned blog post. The sixth site listed was this post about how I used my hand digging hoe this spring to weed out some pestilence plants that I knew better than to plant, but planted anyway. And then on the next page was a reference to this posting about how I used my hand digging hoe to remove sod for a new flower bed this fall.

Clearly, I love this tool, since I’ve written about using it so often, so I searched a little further to find someone who sells them.

Drum roll, please. I think I’ve found them at Sneeboerusa.com. I’m delighted! I’ve purchased several of the Sneeboer hand tools through Lee Valley and have not been disappointed. The hand digging hoe is not directly linkable, so go to the Sneeboer web site, then select “hand tools”, then “hand hoe”. There are two to choose from depending on if you are right handed or left handed.

As garden tools go, this is clearly not your $1.99 hand tool, but if it is like the rest of the Sneeboer tools, it will be well-made, and I would expect it to last your gardening life. It’s an investment that will ensure happiness through many hours of laborious grubbing out of sod, weeds, etc. Once you have a hand-digging hoe and use it, you will wonder how you managed without it.

Like our beloved Felco pruners, a hand digging hoe like this will change your life.

Maybe if you are good and finish your end of season gardening chores, Santa Claus will bring you one for Christmas!

(Note, I have not ordered from the Sneeboer site, so can’t vouch for it, but I have used their tools and they are well-made.)

(Update Sunday: I also found a hand digging hoe available on this web site. It is a DeWit brand tool. I have another gardening tool (a trowel) that is the DeWit brand, and it is also well made. Again, I can’t vouch for the merchant, but can say this is the hoe!)