Garden Spades

About

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 s