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How to make a soil sieve

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To do

Making your own compost and leaf mould is easy and will save on trips to the tip. In addition to having a garden sieve, investing in a good quality compost bin is important.

You should aim to make your soil sieve slightly bigger than your wheelbarrow so you can quickly work your way through a pile of compost, directly from the heap. Add a personal touch by painting it a colour of your choice.

Follow our five easy steps below, to create your own homemade soil sieve. Or, if you’d prefer to buy a ready-made sieve, we’ve also collated a selection of the best garden sieves on the market right now.

For more planting and compost tools, browse our reviews of the best wormeries and garden hand trowels.

Our soil sieve shopping list

You might already have what you need to get started on making your soil sieve. If you don't, we've done the hard work for you with our handy shopping list.

You Will Need

Treated timber (8m of 25mm x 50mm)
Wood stain
Wire mesh sheet, with 1cm holes
Wood screws (12mm x 40mm)
Tape measure
Saw
Sandpaper
Pliers
Screwdriver

Step 1

How to make a soil sieve - measuring the wheelbarrow

Measure your wheelbarrow, so you can build your sieve to fit comfortably across the top.

Step 2

How to make a soil sieve - cutting the wood

Cut the timber into eight pieces and fix them together to form two equal-sized rectangles. Smooth any sharp edges with sandpaper. Use pliers to cut the wire mesh to the same size as the frame.

Step 3

How to make a soil sieve - painting the wood

Paint the timber with wood stain to preserve it and add colour, then leave it to dry.

Step 4

How to make a soil sieve - adding the mesh

Set out the lower half of the timber frame on a flat surface and place the mesh on top.

Step 5

How to make a soil sieve - screwing the frames together

Screw the upper and lower parts of the frame together, sandwiching the mesh in-between.

Best Garden Sieves

From budget steel riddles to premium rotary models, here’s our pick of some of the best garden sieves on offer.

Bulldog Premier Garden Sieve

Made by Wigan-based company Bulldog, this garden sieve has a diameter of 37cm and a mesh size of 9mm. It’s constructed entirely from metal and has a pressed steel rim.

Price: £13.24

Buy Bulldog Premier Garden Sieve at Amazon

Spear and Jackson Steel Frame Riddle

This garden sieve from Spear and Jackson is crafted from chrome-plated steel. The base plate has 1cm square holes and a diameter of 33cm.

Price: £17.49

Buy Spear and Jackson Steel Frame Riddle at Amazon

Clarke Rotary Soil Sieve

The spring-loaded handle of this rotary garden sieve applies pressure to the compost or soil, forcing it through the mesh to filter out any debris. It’s made from steel and a large 40cm diameter.

Price: £45.50

Buy Clarke Rotary Soil Sieve at Amazon

Wilko Metal Riddle

Wilko’s metal garden sieve is one of the cheaper options on this guide. Made from metal, it has a powder coating to prevent rust a diameter of 36.5cm.

Price: £5

Buy Metal Riddle at Wilko

Crocus 2-in-1 Garden Sieve

Made in the UK, this garden sieve comes supplied with two interchangeable screens (6mm and 12mm mesh). Each screen is made from galvanised woven wire.

Price: £9.99

Buy 2-in-1 Garden Sieve at Crocus

Galvanised Soil Sieve

Galvanised Steel Sieve – BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine — Galvanised Steel Sieve

This galvanised steel garden sieve from Crocus has a 30cm diameter and is finished with a clear lacquer. It has two handles on either side to help with grip.

Price: £13.99

Buy Galvanised Soil Sieve at Crocus

Your sieve can also double as a drying tray in autumn and winter for onions, garlic, root crops and beans before you store them.