Sometimes it is the most simple garden tools that are the best. And dibbers are no exception to that rule. A dibber is a tool that has been around for a very long time, perhaps since the Romans, and it makes the act of planting seeds and small bulbs a lot easier. Especially if you're doing a lot at a time. Traditionally dibbers are carved out of wood and therefore they can make a very handsome addition to your garden tool shed. These days there are a lot of options on the market from plastic (try to use recycled and recyclable), to metal, to good old fashioned wood.
What is a dibber?
While your trusty finger (or even a pencil!) can do the work of a dibber, if you're planting to any kind of scale, and accuracy, using a dibber can make things a lot more efficient, and perhaps a little less messy. A dibber is traditionally a long-ish stick that comes to a point, with a handle on the end, that you use to push into the ground or planting pot to make a hole for your seeds, or small bulbs.
How to use a dibber
It's as easy as all that: get your pot or bed sorted with soil, and work out where you want to plant you seeds. Use your dibber to make holes exactly where you want the seeds to go in by pushing it into the ground, take it out and there you have it: a perfect hole for your seeds to be popped into. You then cover up the seeds with the soil and water. Here's more on exactly how to plant seeds.
If you are planting in trays, or doing a lot very near to each other, you may want to consider a multi-dibber tool, which is a bit like a stamp, with lots of pointy prongs that all serve to make holes. One stamp of one of those dibbers and you'll have lots of holes for your seeds.
Weed removing with a dibber
The nice thing about a dibber is that it can be quite a versatile tool. Its shape means it also works as an impromptu digging tool - something that can help you dig down and pull out those plants in the wrong place. It won't work for anything too taxing, but while you're on the go, it's easier than going for the trowel or spade.
The best dibbers to buy for seed sowing in 2024
Spear and Jackson dibber
Garden dibbers are not usually an expensive tool, so you're really weighing up the cost with the look and feel of a dibber. This Spear and Jackson dibber has a lot going for it. Mostly wood with a metal cover to protect from rot, the dibber has a sturdy, ergonomic handle. It's ashwood handle is clear lacquered and the dibber itself was one of the Grown Your Own Great British Growing Award winners of 2022. It measures 29 cm high and 11.5 cm wide and is nicely lightweight. It's a sturdy, reliable option that won't break the bank.
Lorelo Garden dibber
There's a stainless steel head on the end of this dibber, which should mean it won't rust or bend and is that little bit easier to clean. It is made in the traditional way, with the handle at the top for comfort and ease. This option actually comes with a seed dispenser, a handy tool which allows you to avoid losing or misplacing your seed packets while you plant. The seed dispenser holds how ever many seeds you need, and you can pop the seeds into the ground from it individually.
Traditional wooden dibber
What this dibber lacks in ergonomic ease, it makes up for in traditional vibes. Made entirely of pinewood, this wood dibber also has markers on it so you can work out exactly what depth you are planting to. That's very helpful when it comes to planting out bulbs, which need to be at different depths depending on the bulb you're putting in the soil. It's full length is 24 cm, although it doesn't have a handle, and comes instead with a rounded top. This shouldn't be too much of a problem, but if you're doing a lot of planting, quite deep and in compacted soil, the palm of your hand may suffer a bit. It does look lovely in wood, however.
Spear and Jackson Kew dibber
A slightly more expensive option, this dibber is from the Spear and Jackson Kew Gardens collection, which focuses on sustainability and pledges a portion of profits back to Kew Gardens to help their work in plant science and conservation. It's a very handsome dibber, with an engraved stainless steel point and a longer than usual handle, which means it's very handy for planting things like leeks out. The wood used is FSC approved and it's a reliable and sturdy option that has a handy leather strap for hanging where you want it in the potting shed.
Burgon and Ball National Trust dibber
If you're looking for brand authority, here's another option that may work for you. Burgon & Ball's National Trust dibber is another one that rides on the back of a nationwide charity that has strong sustainable credentials. It's a nice, dark wood option, that will clean easily and has measurements on the pointed tip - very handy for knowing how deep your hole is going. It comes with an embossed plaque which makes it feel all the more classic in its style.
Widger and dibber
These are smaller options, and will work best for fiddly plants, including house plants and succulents, if you need to transplant them. Measuring at 15cm, they come in either yellow or green. A widger is something inbetween a dibber and a trowel. It can be used to transplant seedlings and pull out rooted cuttings. It's perfect if you're dealing with something very delicate and pushes up the roots carefully from below, rather than pulling them from the top with your fingers.
Burgon & Ball wood dibber
- Buy now from B&Q (£8.50)
Another classic, no-frills dibber here from experts in garden tools Burgon & Ball. This wooden dibber is one full piece of FSC certified beech wood, with 1 cm marks on the point, so you can easily work out just how deep this dibber is going. It measures at 180mm long.
- Buy now from B&Q (£8.50)
Draper Heritage Wooden Multi-Seed Tray Dibber with 12 Prongs
Perfect for seed tray planting, this heritage stamp-like dibber will make your seed planting so much easier. With twelve prongs, you can get your seed tray ready, filled with soil and with one push you have twelve holes all ready made for you. This dibber is unlikely to work as well in your borders or veg beds and will probably be best used in the potting shed where you can start off seedlings closer together and plant them out as they grow.
Draper garden dibber
- Buy now from B&Q (£16.28)
This garden dibber falls somewhere between value for money and the more expensive options on this list. The Draper Garden Dibber measures 210mm and its designed with an ergonomic handle that's different to the usual t-shape design. This L-shaped handle should be the most comfortable on this list and the metal pointer is easy to clean.
- Buy now from B&Q (£16.28)
Wooden garden dibber
- Buy now from Etsy (£12.50)
While these may not be the most ergonomically friendly dibbers on the list, they are the most handsome. Hand made from Yorkshire, these dibbers still have their beautiful bark left on at the top. If you'd prefer yours to be smoothed down without the rustic effect, that is an option, however. They are made from reclaimed beech or other timber and it measures roughly 300mm in length.
- Buy now from Etsy (£12.50)
