The Simple Tool That Makes Repotting Plants A Breeze (And You Can DIY It Yourself!)

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Though gardening is one of the more relaxing and rewarding hobbies, it isn't free from frustrating tedium. Transporting and repotting plants, for instance, can be quite annoying, as it requires you to dig out potting soil to make space for the roots and stems of your sprouting plant. This can be a pain; getting the dimensions right, keeping soil from sloughing back into the hole. Luckily, there's a simple tool that can help. Often referred to as a dibble or dibbler, it's little more than a handheld, tapered chunk of wood or metal, sometimes with a T-bar handle. Push this peg into the potting soil to create a perfectly-sized indentation where your plants can take root. If it's sized and shaped correctly, the tool turns a challenging task into one that takes seconds using minimal effort. While you can buy a pre-made dibbler out of wood, plastic, or metal for $6 to $10, or go goth with a $30 Medieval-looking aluminum plant dibbler from C.S. Osborne, it's an easy tool to make at home.

Crafting your own dibbler at home is a fairly simple process and could be free, requiring nothing more than a hunk of scrap wood and some basic whittling skills. If you really want to leave your mark, you could accessorize the piece with accents such as a rounded finial-style handle, clever carvings, elegant stain, or a fresh coat of paint. You can also make a longer, garden-sized version for planting bulbs. Any way you slice it, a dibbler is a perfect tool for those looking to transplant potted plants, or a perfect homemade gift for the gardener in your life. This device also requires little upkeep (wipe it clean between uses), making it a must-have gardening tool. 

Making your own dibbler at home is about as simple as a DIY project could be. Simply source a thick stick or narrow scrap of wood — like a remnant from a 2-inch by 2-inch strip board or square wood dowel. Using a penknife or other sturdy knife, carve your tool into a tapered shape, the width and length needed to allow your plant's rootball to fit. You can even use seedling plugs as a guide. Remember your tool doesn't need to be fancy or even the exact dimensions of your plants — somewhere in the ballpark of 2-4 inches in diameter should do the trick. As you're shaping it, blunt the tapered end or cut off any sharp point that's developed: You're not slaying vampires, you're repotting plants. 

You may need to sand it for a smoother feel. Fashion a basic handle from another piece of wood, or wrap the end in grip tape or electrical tape. You can create multiple iterations, spanning any number of sizes for your larger plants. Although if you're repotting outdoor mums to help them thrive, using a dibbler will likely be impractical. Once you've got your tool cut to size, utilizing it should be as simple as pushing it gently but firmly into the new potting soil, creating a divot.

If you're really struggling to find the right piece of wood you could even consider checking thrift stores and online neighborhood Buy Nothing sites for furniture. A wooden chair  or sofa leg might work perfectly. Or get get double duty out of an old broom handle, crafting both a DIY weeding tool and your dibbler.