Seven most curious bygone gardening tools

The shovel has been around forever – but which tools have ceased to become used on a wide scale.

A list has been compiled of the seven essential gardening tools that are rarely used nowadays.

Experts at online retailer GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk studied the long history of gardening, dating back to the middle ages, to find out the main tools that have fallen out of favour with gardeners.

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1.Scythe

It has been almost entirely replaced by the tractor, but this agricultural tool for cutting grass and crops is still widely recognised.

2.Sickle

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Before the scythe, there was the sickle, whose curved blade was ideal for harvesting crops. It dates back to the Iron Age, and the blade is adapted for the particular jobs it is intended to do – both its curvature, and whether it is smooth or serrated.

3.Garden syringe

Modern day versions do appear, but they are uncommon and anyway lack the charm of the original. These were used for targeted administration of insect poisons.

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4.Cucumber straighteners

The 19th century was a prolific time for weird and wonderful garden tool inventions, and the cucumber straightener is one of the most innovative.

5.Seedling watering can

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This 19th century invention resembled a modern watering can, but with an extremely long spout drilled with holes. Water would pour out in numerous jets on either side – very efficient for watering young plants.

6.Dusting bellows

The best way in the 18th century to administer powdered insecticide.

7.Animal traps

The problem of keeping vermin and animals away from the garden and crops is as old as gardening and farming themselves. Abbot of Cirencester Alexander Neckam’s 12th century list of essential garden tools for peasants includes a snare and vermin traps.

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Steve Ott

Steve Ott is editor of Kitchen Garden magazine and started his career as a professional grower, producing everything from cut flowers to vegetables. He has been growing fruit and veg all his life and spends most of his spare time in his garden in the East Midlands. He loves to experiment with crops and varieties he has never grown before and when he isn’t gardening is to be found out in the countryside bird watching and walking his dog Ted.