Garden Spades

The garden spade has a flat, rectangular blade that holds a sharp, straight cutting edge that is usually joined to a handle, either a D-grip or a T-grip handle to provide better control while using it. The main difference that can be noted in a garden spade from a shovel is that while shovels can be used to scoop and remove material, a garden spade is designed to slice through soil, slice through roots, and provide clean, sharp edges. The cutting edge may be slightly concave, which will aid in lifting and turning soil.

Key Differences: Spade & Shovel

The Spades and shovels are two gardening tools that are often used interchangeably; however, they have different uses. A spade has a flat rectangular blade with a straight edge that is suitable for cutting. A shovel has a curved blade that is scooped with a rounded or pointed edge. Such a blade is used for lifting loose material. A spade has a flat blade that one can thrust vertically into the ground. A shovel has a curved blade that is suitable for scooping at an angle.

Usage in the Garden

Soil Preparation- Spades handle the turning of the soil when planting, the loosening of heavy soil, and the addition of organic matter such as compost or manure to the garden bed.

Planting Trees and Shrubs - The straight edge is used to plant trees and shrubs effectively since it can slice through soil easily, thus facilitating planting holes with vertical sides to enhance root development on all sides.

Transplanting− While transplanting already growing plants, a sharp edge of a spade slices through the plant to remove as much of the roots as possible.

Edging Garden Beds – Drawing clean edges between gardens and lawns is one of the spade's main features. Using the flat part of the spade helps produce clean edges by cutting vertically.

Divide Perennials - Some perennials require dividing on a regular basis. A shovel with a sharp blade enables quick division of root masses.

Eliminating Turf - During the construction of gardens, a spade is the best tool to cut through the roots of the grass to remove sections of turf that can be relocated or added to compost.

Choosing the Right Spade

For general garden upkeep and garden bed preparation, the regular digging spade is more than adequate for the task. If this type of gardening is your primary objective, the slim blade of the transplanting spade is an asset you won't want to be without. For keeping your garden edges perfectly trimmed, the edging spade is a worthy investment.

Weight is a factor for many gardeners. A heavier shovel means greater force for digging through hard soil, yet it may tire a person. A lighter shovel means it is easy to handle, yet hard to excavate in hard soil. If possible, you need to test the shovel to make sure you feel comfortable handling it based on your strength and height. A difference in the level of quality affects the performance and durability of the trowel. It will be best to get a trowel with a solidly made socket where the handle goes into a long sleeve in the blade or one where the entire piece of steel is made into a single piece. Such trowels are stronger compared to the strapped ones. Talk to our experts for DIY advice and construction project knowledge. Canterbury Timber offers competitive Trade Prices on Timber and Building Supplies.

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