Dibber
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A dibber is a pointed hand operated wooden tool for making holes in the ground so that seeds or bulbs can be planted.
The dibber, or dibble, is the simplest garden tool. Its only job is to poke holes in the dirt. A dibber is good for planting little bulbs, small seedlings or seeds. Dibbers come in a variety of designs including: Straight dibber, T-Handled dibber, Trowel Dibber, and L-Shaped dibber.
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[edit] History
The dibber was first recorded in Roman times and has remained mostly unchanged since. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, farmers would use long handled dibbers of metal or wood to plant crops. One man would walk with a dibber making holes, and a second man would plant seeds in each hole and fill it in. It wasn't until the Renaissance that dibbers became a manufactured item, some made of iron for penetrating harder soils and clay.
[edit] Straight Dibber
This is the classic dibber. It is anything from a sharpened stick to a more complicated model incorporating a curved handle and pointed steel end.
[edit] T-Handled Dibber
This dibber is much like the classic dibber, but with a T-grip that fits in the palm with minimum torque. This allows the user to exert even pressure creating consistent hole depth.
The ideal T-handled dibber is fashioned from the remains of an old fork or spade handle, retaining the D, and with the handle wittled to a point.
[edit] Trowel Dibber
This is a unique dibber with the features of a dibber and a trowel. It is usually forged from aluminum or other lightweight material. One end is for dibbing, and the other end is shaped like a trowel.
[edit] Sources and External Links
- William Bryant Logan, Smith & Hawken The Tool Book, 1997
- Antique Farm Tools
