9 Prong Potato Fork by Clarington Forge

An absolutely unique tool indispensible for the harvest of 'roots'

Posted by Unknown on 4th Oct 2011

Be prepared when you heft this tool. It is no lightweight. It is some of the sturdiest construction I have ever seen. It can be driven fully into soil and turned without straining its handle or bending any tines and will stand up well to heavy use, even by a large man.

Maintenance is a must. It has bare steel surfaces that should be cleaned and lightly oiled in the off-season. I treat the wooden handles of all my tools with linseed oil and fill cracks with beeswax for preservation. This tool has a perfect wooden handle with no shakes or splits and will not need beeswax for many years if I am any judge. I expect mine to outlive me.

I have used this fork to harvest potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, onions, leaks, carrots, and salsify. It works well for all of these crops, even the alliums if care is taken.
The tines have forged blunt tips to protect the crop but will still pierce potatoes if the digger is careless. Will work best and easiest on sandy loams. Heavier soils will be an increasing challenge, especially for slight gardeners but the fork will perform well even in the heaviest soils if the gardener has sufficient strength to drive it. Another advantage is the narrow spacing of the round tines which sieve even the smallest potatoes from the soil. This is of great value to prevent 'volunteers' in areas where late season blight is a problem.

Other than a broadfork, this is the most expensive tool I use in my garden. Those who grow large numbers of the root crops I listed above will get the most benefit from the investment. I do not regret buying this product.

The only drawback I can see to the tool is its size and weight. Gardeners of small stature will find it cumbersome to use efficiently. I do not recommend this be used as a substitute digging fork.