Claw your way to success

A great garden tool does the hard work for you. Swing this well-honed hook in a dandelion’s direction, and up comes the invader -- tap root and all. Use it to cultivate crusty soil, and the hard earth crumbles with ease.

The Cobrahead Precision Weeder and Cultivator ($17.95 plus shipping and handling) is remarkably lightweight and perfectly balanced for a gardener’s grip. Its parts are simple: a composite handle of “environmentally friendly” plastic reinforced with wood fiber, firmly melded to a rigid steel neck and narrow blade, sharpened on both edges and suited to left- and right-handed users.

The reptilian head captures weeds between stones and pavers and in other tight spaces. It also digs furrows and holes for seeds, seedlings and bulbs -- without disturbing nearby plants. A keen twist on a classic design, the tool is available from its makers, a Wisconsin family of hands-on gardeners, at www.cobrahead.com, or (866) 962-6272.

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Lili Singer