Soil manipulating tool

A soil manipulating tool is disclosed which has a handle ( 12 ) and a soil penetrating portion ( 14 ). The soil penetrating portion ( 14 ) is formed from a helical or spiral rod or wire ( 13 ) which defines a cavity ( 18 ). The rod or wire ( 13 ) may be hollow so that fertilizer or other liquid material can pass through the hollow rod wire ( 13 ) into the soil in which the tool is to be used. The tool may also include an abutment member for limiting the amount of penetration of the tool into the soil to facilitate churning up of the soil and a blade may also be provided across one of the spirals of the portion ( 14 ) to provide a chopping of soil so that a hole can be formed by removal of a plug of soil but at the same time leaving loosened soil at the bottom of the hole. The tool has particular application in aerating and manipulating composted material and the removal of composted material from a compost bin as well as garden applications for the formation of holes, and the aeration of soil facilitating plant growth.