Garden Tools Guide : Spades and Shovels for Digging

Of all the gardening chores you'll need to master, you'll find digging can be strenuous and hard on the body. Well-designed, sturdy and comfortable-to-hold garden tools for digging will make the job significantly easier. The basic tools for digging are shovels, or spades and garden forks.

The garden shovel is an essential garden tool for soil preparation and planting.You will find spades with square, rounded or pointed blades. Square-bladed spades with D-shaped handles are most commonly used in Britain, while pointed or round-shaped blades are most popular in the US. You will also find especially narrow spades that are ideal for heavy soils. A newer innovation in garden shovels is the 'serrated' or shark-toothed blade ideal for slicing through roots, rocky soil and baked clay.

Some suppliers provide shovels with different length handles for different height gardeners. When purchasing your shovel, it's important to test a variety of handle lengths and styles to find the one best-suited to your height and also your strength. The D-shaped handle provides a grip that will be easier for most gardeners to use.

Blades made of rust-resistant stainless steel or forged steel will retain their shape and sharpness for many years. Handles are usually made of solid ash or newer, reinforced fiberglass materials which absorb shock and reduce fatigue. Lightweight and compact flower spades are available for lighter digging chores in prepared flower beds and around existing plantings. These flower spades are also ideal garden tools for seniors and children.

Specialty narrow garden shovels with a rounded blade are available for digging trenches and laying landscaping drainage. And, while technically not a shovel, the flat blade of a lawn edger is ideal for digging or cutting a clean edge between your lawn and garden beds.

Criteria for selecting the right garden tools should be a combination of what feels the most comfortable and manageable for the gardener and the gardening chore the tool is required for. Consider both these elements while shopping and you will be much happier with your choice.