The Right Spade for the Job
The Spade (square blade)
The spade is incredibly handy, it cuts fine straight edges for a bed at the edge of lawn and loosens the soil, prying out rocks and reducing clods to pea size. And it can take off slices of turf when you’re setting bulbs to naturalise beneath them.
In the vegetable garden, the spade is excellent for beginning to double dig – use the back of the tool to smash heavy clods. And where the onions are already up and growing, use the spade’s edge like a scuffle hoe, cutting off weeds with a short, jabbing motion. Its versatility is practically limitless in the garden, where improvisation is often necessary.
The Shovel (round blade)
This shovel is present for many garden tasks and the one you can’t do without. It’s easy to break stiff ground with a shovel because the “round point” of the blade focuses the thrust of the tool on a single point. The dish of the blade holds dirt that has been broken without spilling making it easy to carry or throw a load. Its curved edge is convenient for when digging around perennials for transplanting. Whether its moving soil, compost, transplanting a perennial, the shovel is a very handy tool.
One point to remember: it is always tempting to carry too much of a load in one single scoop.
