I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT DIBBERS, and this one looks perfectly fine to me. Not sure what master doodler Andre Jordan, our Thursday columnist, is talking about. I also know from old, and Andre says he’s a mere 41 (42 on Election Day, his first living in America). But really, Andre, sometimes a dibber’s just a dibber. Visit our fast-growing doodle archive or Andre’s personal blog for more such personal protestations. Oh, and any aging parts lurking in your toolbag?
doodle by andre: anyone got dibber envy?
October 30, 2008
doodle by andre: seeds of seasons past 
doodle by andre: her other love, the mower 
doodle by andre: happy anniversary to us! 
I’m tempted to get one, though I usually just dig a big hole and throw bulbs in willy-nilly.
Have you ever tried one of those cylindrical bulb planters? Don’t bother.
I’m laughing at the doodle of the dibber. Love that.
My aging tool is a dandelion weeder (I think it is called) that I picked up at an estate sale for a dollar. The handle is smooth and worn, but I use it every time I am in the garden.
The old tool I treasure (and can’t find another of, alas) is a 3-tined claw weeder that has NARROW tines, about 1/8th inch wide and extremely tough. All the new ones seem to have fat tines that widen – ugh – at the ends, so the old one, which I’ve used for over 30 years, is indescribably precious. I ought to paint the handle orange, since I lose it about 100 times a year, but the smooth-worn wood is so beautiful I can’t bear to do it.
My dibber is one of my very favorite gardening tools. My most beautiful is an antique shovel with a hand-carved wooden handle. The patina is wonderful.
♥Rosemary
I have an old hand trowel that I love. I use it mainly for pots, and it has definitely seen better days. But it’s my favorite.
It’s nice to see Andre’s doodles here. I’ve been a fan for quite a while.
In my previous life, I was an Antique dealer. I used to supply a shop in Brighton England with garden antiques. Trugs, dibbers, pine wheelbarrows, garden tools, stone balls, terracotta plant pots, rhubarb forcers, etc. But my favorite thing of all, were antique terracotta garden gnomes. I loved them.
Welcome, Kaycie, fellow lover of Andre’s special humor. We hope to see you here at A Way to Garden again.
@Andre: Does that mean we will be seeing gnome humor here soon? Oh, my.
Yes Margaret. I have already begun to doodle gnomes.
I am tempted to start a ‘garden gnomes were once made of magnificent terracota and have now been reduced to uncouth plastic…. it is not their fault. Save the gnome!’ campaign.
Is that an old dibber in your pocket……
sorry that what immediately came to mind ;o)
But seriously, I have an old shovel I bought at a thrift store for $1.00 which I love.
No Dibber envy here, Margaret & Andre… although I know the tool as a dibble rather than a dibber. There’s a photo on my Addendum blog if you’re interested.
http://anniesaddendum.blogspot.com/2008/10/vintage-dibble.html
We never had terra cotta gnomes when I was a kid, but my mom had concrete – not plastic- lawn flamingos.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Leslie and I are clearly garden-mates. I too, would not part with my hand claw three thin pronged weeder. Mine too has a dull worn wooden handle that does not scream you have left me in the weed pile again! It has been returned to me numerous times and reappeared after days lost in the clippings. I am convinced it is magical and would not like to be orange.
anything fiskar, except my dibber, if you know what i mean…
Hey, Dibble Dibble!
I learned the name of this tool as a “dibble,” too, and remember when my grandfather (a shop teacher and woodworker) proudly showed me a dibble of his own making. He said, “Do you know what a dibble is?” and when I said “no,” he laughed and said “A stick.” At the time, I didn’t get the joke…
Would LOVE to have that now…what a fantastic combination of sentiment & utility…
I’ve got a dibble/dibber but here, with all the rocks, a crow bar works a bit better. That and the pick ax which is do to get a workout this weekend.
My Dutch edger is quickly becoming a favorite tool. I’ve only had it for two years but it makes quick work of edging beds manually. I love its simplicity, efficiency and quiet.
Funny, but I know this tool as a dibbler. And I love it for small bulbs and large seeds. Speaking of bulbs, better get to it tomorrow!
I know nothing little about dibbers.
Never had one and never wished for one of my own. Doesn’t mean that I haven’t known a few.
Happy Birthday Andre.
Thank you ann.
It is my very first American birthday.
And what a day to be your first! Cheers!