Hand tools for the greenhouse: trowels and secateurs
You do not need much in a greenhouse: a trowel for potting on and a good pair of secateurs for side shoots, old leaves and tied-in stems. Buy fewer tools and better ones. A sharp blade makes a clean cut that heals fast.
Fiskars Ergo hand trowel
Comfortable trowel with over 8,000 reviews
£13 at Amazon · 4.8 stars (8,258)
Fiskars stainless steel trowel
Rust-free trowel, 28 cm long
£13 at Amazon · 4.7 stars (1,497)
Kimura Pro bypass secateurs
Highly rated heavy-duty secateurs
£25 at Amazon · 4.8 stars (3,243)
Spear & Jackson Razorsharp bypass secateurs
Cheap and popular, from a long-running British brand
£11 at Amazon · 4.5 stars (2,270)
Prices and ratings from Amazon.co.uk when we checked. Affiliate links. We have not tested these ourselves.
What to look for
- Choose bypass secateurs for live stems. They cut like scissors and do not crush the stem.
- Wipe blades clean between plants if you cut out diseased growth.
- Pinch out tomato side shoots by hand while they are small. You only need secateurs for the thick ones.