The tool that I cannot live without is my hori hori knife. I first became acquainted with the tool last spring when I was working as a volunteer on a native plant survey. Some of the botanists conducting the survey were collecting plants for herbarium specimens. They were using hori hori knives to dig out specimens with deep roots without disturbing the plants around them. I fell in love with the tool, and now I almost never go out in the yard without mine. I use it to plant bulbs (even in frozen ground), to transplant plants, to dig weeds in clay soil, to harvest vegetables, to prune some plants, to loosen rocks in my rock garden so I can rearrange them, etc. I also take it with me when I am hiking or backpacking. It has many uses. If you've never used one, get one, or at least borrow one from someone so that you can see how great it is. Don't borrow mine though--I'm most likely using it!
