As late spring unfolds across the UK, market gardeners are managing one of the busiest transitions of the season. Beds are being cleared, fresh successions are going in, and there’s still time to get fast-growing, high-value crops into the soil. Whether you're sowing, transplanting, or managing weeds and moisture, having professional-grade tools can significantly increase efficiency and yield.
At ReAg Tools, we supply robust, grower-tested tools that meet the demands of commercial market gardening. This guide will walk you through key late spring jobs — and the tools that make them quicker, easier, and more effective.
1. Sowing: Maximise Every Bed with Fast-Growing Crops
Late spring is ideal for sowing crops that turn around quickly and yield well in summer, such as:
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Beetroot
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French beans
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Courgettes
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Baby carrots
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Salad mixes
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Summer brassicas
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Chard and kale for late summer bunching
Sowing accurately and efficiently is critical to avoid wasted seed and ensure a uniform crop stand — especially when sowing at scale.
🔧 Recommended Tools:
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🟢 Minoru Hand Seeder: A precision, lightweight seeder ideal for small-scale direct sowing in open ground. The Minoru seeder is especially good for salad, beetroot, and turnips — allowing consistent seed depth and spacing, saving hours on hand sowing.
- 🟢 Jang Seeder - The most effective precision seeder for direct seeding on the market.
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🟢 Growers & Co. Garden Dibber: Best for spacing modules and dibbing holes for transplanting — great in tight spaces or in modules with specific spacing needs.
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🟢 Forged Hand Trowel: A heavy-duty, UK-made tool perfect for quick sowing jobs, creating furrows, or making light adjustments during transplanting.
2. Transplanting with Speed and Consistency
Speed, accuracy, and ergonomic comfort are crucial when transplanting hundreds or thousands of plugs. Transplanting tools should reduce fatigue and help maintain spacing to allow for mechanical weeding and uniform growth.
🔧 Recommended Tools:
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🟢 Terrateck Single-Row Jab Planter: This is a game-changer for fast plug planting in long rows. It creates the hole, drops the plug, and tamps the soil all in one motion. Ideal for brassicas, lettuce, chard, and spinach.
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🟢 Glaser Right-Angle Trowel / Plant Hand: Lightweight and precise — perfect for smaller transplants and tighter spacing where hand planting still outpaces mechanisation.
3. Weed Management: Stay Ahead of the Growth
Warm days and moisture mean weeds can explode this time of year. Timely, shallow cultivation is one of the most effective ways to suppress weed pressure without harming your crops.
🔧 Recommended Tools:
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🟢 Glaser Oscillating Hoes: An essential tool for managing in-row weeds with minimal soil disturbance. Multiple head sizes available for fine salad beds or wide-set courgettes and brassicas.
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🟢 Neversink Wire Hoes: Incredibly light and fast — ideal for weeding between rows of young seedlings or flame-weeded lines. Multiple wire sizes fit different crop stages.
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🟢 Draw Hoe with Ash Shaft: A sturdy, deep-cutting hoe perfect for perennial weed control or clearing heavy soil paths.
4. Mulching and Moisture Control
Maintaining moisture in beds during hot spells and suppressing weed regrowth are key to sustaining yields. Whether you're applying compost, straw, or green mulch, make sure you have the right handling tools.
🔧 Recommended Tools:
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🟢 Tipper Wheelbarrow – Double Wheel (300L): Excellent for hauling compost, mulch, and green waste over rough terrain. The two-wheel design provides extra stability and tipping ease for solo growers.
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🟢 Carters Rakes & Hoes: Heavy-duty, UK-made tools perfect for bed prep, levelling, and mulch spreading.
5. Get Ready for the First Big Harvests
June will bring your earliest planted crops into full production. Now’s the time to gear up with harvesting tools that are fast, safe, and reliable — especially for greens and tender vegetables that require precision.
🔧 Recommended Tools:
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🟢 Harvesting Bags: This field bag is designed for professional harvest work — hands-free and washable, perfect for leafy greens, herbs, and flowers.
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🟢 Harvesting Knives & Shears: Browse our full range of curved, straight, and serrated knives, plus shears and pruners for kale, courgettes, and cucumbers.
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🟢 Tool Maintenance Supplies: Keep your gear sharp and clean with whetstones, tool oils, and maintenance kits — a must for safe and efficient harvest work this season.
Final Thoughts
Late spring may feel like you’re playing catch-up, but with strategic sowing, efficient transplanting, and the right tools, it’s a golden opportunity to set your farm up for a strong summer harvest. Whether you're producing for veg boxes, wholesale, or markets, investing in professional tools now will save time, reduce stress, and increase productivity.
Explore our full range at www.reagtools.co.uk and gear up for a productive summer.