It’s really a wonderful thing when you can find gardening tools and greenhouse accessories that match your personal aesthetic and style. Well made wooden tools paired with rustic terracotta pots, wooden plant labels and vintage watering cans are my usual go-tos.
And now I am adding copper tools to that list. Not only do they look timeless, but they are also beneficial to the garden in lots of other ways, as I found out when I interviewed Kendall Smith-Franchini, co-owner and founder of the The Cook’s Atelier cookery school in rural Burgundy, France, for our Garden Diaries series.
‘If there's one tool we rely on, it's our copper hand weeder,’ she says. ‘We love all the copper tools, and copper cookware. They're pretty to look at, they're heavy duty, and they last forever. And the copper is actually good for the soil too, which is a bonus.’ We all know the beauty and benefits of copper cookware, but here I delve deeper into why copper tools are so good for the garden, and spotlight six of the best your can shop right now.
The Benefits of Using Copper Tools in the Yard
Copper gardening tools sit at the intersection of beautiful craftsmanship and practical usefulness.
Unlike steel, copper does not rust, meaning tools stay smoother, cleaner, and easier to use over time. That naturally slick surface allows soil to release more easily from spades, trowels, and hoes, which can make digging and weeding feel lighter, particularly in heavy or clay soils.
Copper is also naturally antibacterial, helping to limit the spread of soil-borne pathogens between plants. While it’s not a substitute for keeping your tools clean, it’s a reassuring plus point.
There’s also a quieter benefit beneath the surface. Trace amounts of copper naturally wear from the tool during use, returning micronutrients to the soil. Copper is essential for plant health, playing a role in photosynthesis, seed formation, and disease resistance.
In well-balanced soils this contribution is subtle, but it aligns beautifully with an organic, closed-loop approach to gardening; where tools, plants, and soil work in harmony.
Perhaps most compelling benefit of all is their longevity. Well-made copper tools are designed to last for decades, developing a rich patina rather than degrading with age.
In an era where buy-once, buy-well is becoming a guiding principle, copper tools offer a more sustainable, eco-friendly yard tool alternative to short-lived garden equipment, and they look beautiful hanging on the wall of your potting shed.
6 Copper Tools I’m Shopping Now
Organise your plant labels, pencils or other gardening tools in this handy copper caddy, ideal for a potting bench.
A small copper watering can works for indoor, balcony, patio or outdoor plants and would make watering feel a bit less of a chore.
A good-quality dibber will last for decades. Trust me, you'll get so much more use out of this mini tool than you think.
Rain chains made from copper are more of an investment, but they will last longer and develop a beautiful patina over time.
A premium tool kit that will last a lifetime, and look wonderful when styled in your shed.
An essential for any gardener intent on neat planting rows, and a beautiful objet d'art to place on a potting shed shelf when not in use.
If you're hoping to get more eco-friendly in the garden this year, some copper tools swaps would be an easy way to get started and a quick win. And if you're looking for advice on how to prepare garden tools for the spring, you'll find everything you need in our expert guide.
