What is a biofourche used for?

Une biofourche est un outil de jardin conçu pour aérer et décompacter le sol sans le retourner totalement, ce qui préserve la structure du sol et la vie microbienne. Elle ressemble à une fourche large (voisine de la grelinette) : plusieurs dents métalliques (généralement 4 à 8) montées sur un cadre et munies de manches pour lever le sol par effet de levier. Utilisations principales : - Aération des plates‑bandes et potagers. - Briser les mottes et alléger les sols compacts sans inverser les horizons. - Améliorer drainage et pénétration des racines avant plantation ou paillage. Comment l’utiliser : - Enfoncer les dents à intervalles réguliers le long de la planche. - Tirer les manches vers soi pour soulever et fissurer le sol. - Répéter si nécessaire sur toute la surface, sans retourner la terre. Différences avec d’autres outils : - Différente de la fourche à bêcher qui sert à retourner et mélanger la terre. - Proche de la grelinette (broadfork) mais peut varier par la forme/espacement des dents et la longueur des manches. Entretien : - Nettoyer les dents après usage, sécher et huiler les parties métalliques pour éviter la corrosion. - Vérifier et traiter le bois des manches si nécessaire. Avantages : méthode douce qui préserve la vie du sol, moins fatigante et adaptée au jardinage biologique et aux potagers.

Grelinette is well known, named after its inventor André Grelin. “Grelinette” is a registered trademark, which is why other tools of the same type must use different names: organic fork, aero-fork, organic spade, organic cultivator or ecological fork. The principle and design remain virtually identical apart from a few minor details. Some of these tools are better suited to heavy, compact soils, others, like the “campagnole“, are fitted with wheels. The principle remains the same.

An organic fork or aero-fork is a kind of broadfork consisting of a steel base with three to five tines bevelled, curved and relatively sharp, operated by two wooden side handles.

What are the uses of a bio-fork in the garden?

• Biofourche allows working soil without turning it over, loosening earth before sowing or planting. This tool is ideal in vegetable patch, but also for preparing or loosening soil of beds and borders ;
• Aerofork or biocultivator is also used to efficiently pull clods of adventive weeds from soil, notably couch grass for example ;
• Finally, this tool is useful for the harvest of certain root vegetables : carrots, parsnips, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes… are extracted from soil with disconcerting speed.

Grelinette does not disturb soil life

How to use a broadfork?

A broadfork is a relatively simple and intuitive tool. However, it still requires a bit of practice to master.

• Gardener drives the tines vertically into the soil in front of them by pressing their foot on the crossbar ;
• Once the tines are inserted into the soil, pull both wood handles towards you until they reach the back of your body: the soil is thus lifted across the width of the tool ;
• Step back one pace and rock the broadfork from right to left to break up clods ;
• Then slide the tool backwards to withdraw the tines from the soil, and repeat.

Why use a biofork?

Benefits of this type of tool compared with traditional spading or using a rotavator are numerous.

• A broadfork loosens soil without disturbing its layers and preserves soil life. It is therefore an ideal tool for organic farming or nature-friendly gardening;
• An aeration fork allows deep aeration of soil (tine depth), thereby supplying oxygen to micro-organisms in the deepest soil layers;
• This type of tool works the gardener’s arms rather than the lower back, greatly reducing fatigue and risk of injury. Indeed, while the arms move back and forth when using a broadfork, the back stays straight.

How to choose your broadfork?

As with any garden tool, choose quality. The “head” that carries the tines should be steel and the handles in wood (often ash) or, more rarely, steel as well.

Choosing the number of tines is important: 3, 4 or 5. The fewer the tines, the easier the tool is to use on heavy soils (the broadfork will also be lighter), but the working width will be reduced. Decide according to your soil and intended use how many tines you really need. Bear in mind that in light soils you can opt for a 5‑tine broadfork whereas for more compact soil you should stick to a 3‑tine tool.

If your garden area is small, choose a narrower aerating fork, therefore with fewer tines. If the gardener is particularly strong and fit, a 5‑tine broadfork may be suitable; otherwise opt for a smaller tool.

→ At Promesse de Fleurs, we offer a whole range of quality broadforks.

Broadforks have 3 to 5 tines