I never thought bulb planters were worth the hype, but this £6 buy makes planting so easy – and it works a treat on hard, baked soil

Ever used a bulb planter? I’ve always wondered if they’re really a necessary garden tool – and then I used the Kent & Stowe hand bulb planter.

It’s designed for larger bulbs like daffodils, and since the cheerful spring flowers were on my list of spring bulbs to plant in September, I decided to give it a whirl. After a scorching summer, my garden borders are particularly dry right now – but the bulb planter’s design made planting a breeze.

Here’s what I love about the Kent & Stowe hand bulb planter, which is just £6.13 at Amazon – and why it’s convinced me that bulb planters really are worth adding to your garden tool collection.

The Kent & Stowe hand bulb planter has a serrated edge, so it’s easy enough to insert into the soil – even if yours, like mine, is hard and heat-baked after all the heatwaves. You'll just need to twist it a bit on tougher earth.

There’s also, of course, a handy measurement scale on the side – four inches, which guides a consistent planting depth (and learning how to plant bulbs properly is really important if you want them to grow and flower well).

Once you’ve pushed the Kent & Stowe hand bulb planter into the soil at the required depth (I had to double-check how deep I should plant daffodil bulbs!), you simply twist the tool and pull the core of earth from the ground. It tasks a bit of wiggling if your soil is particularly dry and compacted, but it’s so much easier than digging the hole with a hand trowel.

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Then, you simply pop the bulb in the bottom of the hole (you can use some bulb starter beforehand like Empathy Bulb Starter Biofertiliser from Amazon to encourage strong root growth), and empty the soil within the bulb planter over the planting hole to fill it back in. All in all, it’s a satisfying process – and it really is as simple as it sounds. For reference, I planted Narcissus 'Bridal Crown' bulbs, which you can order from Thompson & Morgan.

The Kent & Stowe hand bulb planter is also a durable tool. It's traditionally styled, and as sturdy as it is nice to look at. The metal part is made from carbon steel, and the handle is crafted from beautiful FSC-certified ash wood. It’s no wonder it has a 10-year guarantee.

At 23cm long, the bulb planter is bigger than I expected – but since it’s designed for larger bulbs, it makes sense. If you'll be planting your daffodil bulbs together, it's handy for making multiple larger holes in one area.

Bulb planting kit

The Kent & Stowe Hand Bulb Planter has completely transformed the way I plant spring bulbs. It's affordable, durable and so easy to use.