Product Review – WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook

WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook

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Putting up bird netting using the WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook

The WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook is the kind of tool that should have been invented a long time ago! If you’ve ever needed to pull or push anything beyond your reach without wanting to use a ladder, this is what you’ve been looking for! This tool is basically a double-hook attachment that clips into various optional handles of different lengths, extending your reach.

If you’re not already familiar with WOLF-Garten tools, what you need to know is that they’re a premium German garden tool company, and anyone who buys tools knows that German tools are always the top-tier of tools, the best of the best. WOLF-Garten tools are well made, and work very effectively, but what makes them unique is that they’re modular – their Multi-change® Tools introduce an interesting concept, you choose the length and type of handle you want to use, and the attachment to go on the end, so that way you don’t have a dozen long handled tools lying around.

WOLF-Garten multi-change® tool heads fit onto a range of handles with a strong, quick, snap-on connection (image source: Wolfgarten Tools)

Back to the WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook, how do we use this curious looking tool and what’s the benefit of owning one?

Netting a fruit tree to stop birds eating your fruit is quite a task, the hardest part is lifting the bird net up and over your fruit tree without getting tangled in the branches. With the appropriate length handle the upward facing ‘pushing hook’ can be used to lift the bird net up and over the tree with ease.

Lifting netting over tree tops, no problem!

Upward facing hook for tangle-free lifting and placing of bird netting

The downward facing or ‘pulling hook’ works well to bend down high overhead branches for pruning or fruit picking. It can be used to shake branches to make ripe fruit fall for harvesting. This tool also works well when you have a two-man pruning crew, one person can use a pole pruner, and the other can use the hook to pull the branch clear for pruning access when the canopy is dense and there are too many branches in the way. This tool is excellent for directing the fall of branches to a safe area below when pruning trees close to houses, fences, swimming pools or ponds.

WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook bending down branches on an apricot tree

If you’ve ever pruned a large tree by hand with loppers from a ladder or with a pole pruner, prunings do drop down into the canopy, and most fall to the ground, but some get stuck up in the braches, and blend in with the rest of the foliage until they start wilting in the next day or two! How do you grab these snagged prunings and extricate them from the tree canopy without damaging the tree? Reach in and push it up and out with a tree hook, that’s how!

Looking at a tall citrus I recently pruned, I wondered why some leaves were wilting! It was just a pruning stuck in the canopy, which lifted out easily in seconds.

The tree hook is not just useful for reaching high up, but also for extending your reach when you intentionally want to maintain your distance! I grow lots of berries, and some of these have wicked thorns. Untangling and relocating long overgrown thorny berry canes in never pleasant, it’s a task I’ve handled in the past with elbow length leather gardening gloves. It occurred to me recently that using a tree hook would make the task a lot easier, as the thorns glide smoothly over the shiny metal hook, and the canes don’t get damaged and broken when you use the hook like a comb to pull along the length of the canes.

WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook pulling thorny berry canes

WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook pushing thorny berry canes

As you can see this is a very versatile tool. Other suggested uses are for hanging Christmas lights and decorations in trees outdoors. A tree hook can do lots of tasks around the house and garden and nothing can really replace it when you really need it, which is why I guess it’s called a ‘Utility’ Tree Hook.

This hook isn’t much use without a handle, and there’s a range of handles to choose from. Now, the handles aren’t the cheapest, but they’re well made, and you can connect lots of other WOLF-Garten gardening implements to them, so you actually save in the long term by buying the handle only once.

In the pictures I’ve used the 150cm wooden handle, it’s 5’ high for my unmetricated friends, so if I hold it above my head I can reach well over 3m or 10’.

Here’s how to attach the hook to the handle, it’s quite easy.

WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook and 150cm handle

To connect the hook to the handle, slide the release button shroud on the string onto the handle first

Push the hook into the handle till it snaps in place, then push release button shroud over the button to prevent accidental release. To remove, push the button and pull the hook out to change to another attachment.

The hook is as useful as the handle you attach it to, and the handle can attach to other implements to work the soil such as spades, hoes, and various other weeding tools. You can also attach pruning saws and fruit picking attachments. There’s even brooms and rakes. If the handles aren’t long enough, there are poles and extendable poles available. Mind you, there are also very short 30cm (1 foot) long handles for more delicate work too for attachments such as garden trowels!

Here’s a quick listing of the poles/handles you can attach to the WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook.

For a regular length handle there are these options:

Wolf Garten Multi-Change 150cm Wooden Handle

Dimensions: L: 140 cm (55.1″)
Material: FSC-certified ash
Extras: Shaped in the grip area
Extras: Shaped in the grip area

WOLF-Garten 3942154 59-Inch Multi-Star Aluminum Handle

Easily converts tools into hand tools
Fits onto all Multi-Star tool heads with one click
Made from high-quality aluminum for added strength
Great for hand tools used in a pushing mode

For even longer reach, use the WOLF Garten ZMV4 Vario Extending Handle 157″ 3943704

Extends from 87-157″ in length
Extremely lightweight, but very strong aluminum handle
Ideal for all tree care, pool/pond and window washing attachments
Works with all WOLF-Garten Interlocken tool heads

WOLF-Garten tools are popular amongst professional gardeners who like to pay only once for good tools that they can depend on and have them last. These tools come with very long warranties from 10 years to a lifetime depending on the actual tool. They really are a good investment and pay for themselves over time. The WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook is made in Germany, comes with a 10 Year Warranty. and is an extremely versatile tool for gardening and non-gardening tasks around the house. If you already have a WOLF-Garten handle I recommend getting one, if you don’t I recommend getting both!

Deep Green rating for the “WOLF-Garten Utility Tree Hook ” is 5 stars!

If you are interested in submitting a product for review, please contact us via email at deep_green@optusnet.com.au , thanks!