EarthWay Seeder / Spreader EVS2750

Several times over the last couple of years, customers have asked us whether we supply these broadcast seeders as well as the EarthWay 1001-B Precision Garden Seeder.

We have been able to supply them by having the seeder sent from the UK importers, but inevitably there has been a little delay while this is arranged.

Now we have decided to have a few in stock, so that we can supply without that delay.

They will be on our website soon and our price is competitive:  £70.40 including UK postage.

This is a really versatile broadcast seeder which can also be used for spreading – whether that is granular fertiliser, etc., or salt/grit to de-ice paths and other hard surfaces.

For more information, see the EVS2750 page on the  EarthWay website .

If you can't wait for us to get this on our website, just email us and we can arrange to send you a payment link. 

Website security

If you use the Google Chrome internet browser (as we do) you will have noticed that the URL address bar now shows 'secure' or 'not secure' (near the top left hand corner of your screen).

Initially, the 'not secure' warnings only showed if the website had no security protection and there were 'fields' on the website which requested input like passwords or other personal details.

More recently, however, the warnings have started appearing on ALL unprotected sites, even if there are no fields which request input.

Our own website is unprotected, but this does not mean that your information is at risk.

Why not?  

Simply because our site does not ask you for any information at all.

When you choose to buy any item from our site, you are taken to the PayPal website, which IS secure.  PayPal takes your payment details and processes them, then notifies us of your name, email address, phone number and delivery address, plus (of course) details of what you have bought.  NO OTHER information is passed to us.

So, please do not worry about visiting our site (or any other) which shows 'not secure'.  Just make very certain that you are on a secure site whenever you are asked to input any personal information, especially regarding credit cards or other financial details.

If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.  07792 592068  blackberrylane.co.uk@gmail.com

LEFT - HANDED Ho-Mis are here!

That's the left-handed one on the left . . .

A few months ago, one of our customers asked us whether there was a left-handed version of the Ho-Mi.  As a left-hander himself, Nick had found that the balance of the ordinary Large Ho-Mi didn't quite seem right.

We didn't know the answer, so we emailed the manufacturer in South Korea.  Yes, he said, they DO make a left-handed version, but only in small numbers and only to order.  The price would be a little higher as a result.

Then, a little later, he sent us a free sample of the left-handed Large Ho-Mi.  So what did we do with it?  Sent it to Nick, of course!

Nick's immediate response was "Initial impressions - weighting of the tool makes a lot more sense, as it has a kind of twist to it that doesn't translate when using in your off-hand."  Sounds good to me!

So, we went ahead and ordered some and they arrived a few days ago.

So now, all of you right-handers who have been enjoying using your Large Ho-Mis and trying (maybe unsuccessfully) to get your left-handed friends to try them, you can point them to our Ho-Mi page where they can get one for themselves!

When we told Nick about the new shipment of Left-Handed Ho-Mis, and that we had already had an enquiry from Germany, this was his response: 
"Thanks Dave, 

Just to reiterate; the weighting of the tool makes this a pleasure to use, particularly in raised beds - for those of us who like getting "up close and personal" with things.

Definitely a perfect gift for the left-handed gardener who's fed-up of using tools upside-down!  Experiment with the grip to find the most comfortable point - that's the best angle. 

Glad to hear you've already had some interest.  Nick"

P.S.  Ironically, when we first started selling Ho-Mis, we were living on our narrowboat and so had no garden to try them out, so we gave one to some 'land-lubber' gardening friends to see how they liked it.  Their response was a little lukewarm and we didn't understand why.  We only found out later, once we had realised that Ho-Mis are 'handed', that both those friends are left-handed!  Oops!

Glaser Stirrup Hoes - fixing bolts

In the last year or so, we seem to have had rather more customers contacting us about their Glaser stirrup Hoes, because the 10mm headless bolt has snapped that fixes the Oscillating Block of the Stirrup Hoe to the Wheel Hoe.

In this photo, you can see the 10mm bolt and the hexagonal socket for a 5mm Allen key is in the top.

The first thing to say about these bolts snapping is that USUALLY it seems to be caused by sudden stress on the bolt, which often results when the fixing nut has worked loose.  So, first thing to do is to make sure that you tighten the nut every time you start to use the hoe.  I often take a spanner with me if I am going to be doing quite a lot of heavy wheel-hoeing, just to make sure that I can keep it tight.  Maybe a 'Nyloc' nut will help (see below).  If you don't expect to change your wheelhoe attachments very often, you may like to put a drop of thread-locking compound on the thread.  Don't use superglue!!

So, the worst happens and the bolt breaks!  No worries, we have a stock of replacement headless bolts here or you may be able to get them locally:  ask for M10, 30mm long in high-tensile steel.  On our website, they are on the 'Spare Blades' page and we have simply called them 'M10 bolt + ‘nyloc’ nut + washer’.  We started by just stocking the headless bolts, but now we include a washer and a ‘Nyloc’ nut, which hopefully will not come loose so easily!  (Updated 30th June 2020)

The next problem is getting out the stub of the broken bolt.  Quite tricky if it has broken just inside the block!  Try removing the block from the hoe and drilling from the bottom, perhaps adding a drop of oil to help it move.

However, there is another solution, shown to us by Henry, who lives not far away from us in Devon.  The fixing bolt on his Stirrup Hoe broke, but he found that the headless bolt had been fitted the other way up, with the Allen key socket downwards, so he was able to simply screw out the broken stub by inserting the Allen key from the bottom.  Magic!  Of course, a drop of oil could be useful here too, especially if your Stirrup Hoe has been in use for a long time.

So here is my suggestion to make it easier for you if your fixing bolt breaks in the future:  reverse the bolt NOW so that the Allen key socket is reached from below.

First, loosen the large nut and the bolt, using a spanner and an Allen key.

Second, remove the Oscillating Block from the Stirrup Hoe by unscrewing the 'axle' bolt.

Third, remove the M10 bolt and reverse it in its hole.

Fourth, tighten the bolt by inserting the Allen key from below and turning it anti-clockwise.

Fifth, replace the washer and nut.

Sixth, refit the Oscillating Block to the Stirrup Hoe.

It looks exactly the same, except that the Allen key socket is now hidden inside the Oscillating Block, making it easier if you ever need to remove a snapped bolt.

Since this useful conversation with Henry, we have checked our stock of Oscillating Blocks and some of the Stirrup Hoes.  Some of the most recent stock already have the bolts reversed – looks like Glasers in Switzerland have come to the same conclusion !

I hope this helps a little.  Thanks again to Henry for finding this useful piece of information.

Ho-Mi Prices Down AGAIN !

We were delighted to be able to reduce the prices for our Korean Ho-Mis back in October, after we had been able to substantially reduce our import costs.

Now we have another reduction to announce, but only on the Large and Small Ho-Mis.  Other Ho-Mi models remain at the same prices as in October – they are still very good value!

It happened like this . . .

Years ago, another importer used to sell Ho-Mis in the UK.  He stopped selling them before we started, and in fact it was BECAUSE he had stopped that the South Korean manufacturer started looking for someone else to handle them.  Our Australian contacts at Allsun Farm / Gundaroo Tiller were kind enough to suggest us, and we have been selling Ho-Mis ever since!

Just a few weeks ago, the former importer's son found himself with some stock of Large and Small Ho-Mis that he wanted to move on and (again through contact with Joyce at Allsun Farm) he came to us and offered them to us at a favourable price.  Seems that his father had imported large numbers and so had been able to make even better savings on the import costs.

Now we have taken delivery and have a very large stock of Large and Small Ho-Mis at unrepeatable prices:–

Large Ho-Mis at £8.40 each (previously £11.60)
Small Ho-Mis at £9.80 each (previously £11.50)

Yes, we know that looks odd!  The Small Ho-Mis have always been cheaper than the Large ones, but this fresh stock is about 95% Large Ho-Mis, so we have made bigger savings on them.

When we eventually need to re-order from South Korea, the Large ones will be pricier than the Small but, until then, now is the opportunity to buy at LOVELY LOW PRICES !

Find them on our website at http://www.blackberrylane.co.uk/homi.html

UPDATE :  March 2021: 

In 2020, we sold out of the Small Ho-Mis from this old stock and so had to order some more from Korea, which meant that we had to put the price for Small Ho-Mis up a bit more, but still just less than £11.50.  Postage price rises since then have nudged up the prices of both Large and Small Ho-Mis, but the Large ones are still a real bargain and we still have quite a lot left.

Special Offers – Soil Blockers and SAALET Seeders

Your opportunity to get a Soil Blocker at reduced price!

Once again, we have a few damaged or shop-soiled Soil Blockers on offer.  These all work perfectly, but have either suffered some damage in transit or (in one case) been mistreated.

 First of all, one that has NOT been damaged at all!  This is a Mini 4, finished in a dark green protective paint coating.  Ladbrooke made some of these before they introduced the resin-coated option.  It's a good buy at a slightly lower price than a standard Mini 4, and comes complete with 4 long ('dowel') seed pins as well as the standard short pins.

Normal price for the new-style Mini 4 is £19.60

This one: £17.50 including UK postage

Email to buy  SOLD

Number 2 is a standard new-style Mini 4 which suffered a slight dent in transit.  The dent has been straightened, but you will still be able to see the 'scar'!  Again, supplied with 4 long ('dowel') seed pins as well as the standard short pins.

£14.50 including UK postage  SOLD
Email to buy

This third one is a real bargain!  It's an old-style Mini 4 (the different handle is really the only difference).  A customer managed to break it and then had the cheek to ask for a replacement!  We were too trusting in those days and sent him one, but at least he returned the damaged one.  Restored to full working condition with a little TLC, this will give you years of good service, but it is a little battle-scarred!

The price of these old-style Mini 4s was about £16.00, but

this one is £10.00 including UK postage  Email to buy   SOLD

And then, a couple of Mini 5s that got a little bent in transit but have now been 'unbent' and work perfectly.

Normal Price £17.00
These ones £13.00 each, including UK postage

SOLD

Email to buy

Last of these bargain Soil Blockers is a Micro 20 with spots on the zinc-plated finish.  Perfect in every other respect.

Normal price £15.10
This one: £12.50 including UK postage
Email to buy  SOLD

NOT ILLUSTRATED, we have a few SAALET Easy Sowers with damaged cardboard boxes.  These got a little wet on the outside, but there is no damage to the Seeders.  Normal price £19.45, these are reduced at £16.00 each, including UK postage  SOLD

Email us to buy any of these specials . . . When they're gone, they're gone!
We will update this page as soon as any of these are sold.

Please email us with any questions, on blackberrylane.co.uk@gmail.com