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Working in the garden is a huge stress reliever. Not just because of being outdoors, but because it’s an activity that you can enjoy on your own or work with someone else.
I love working in my garden because it’s a place where I can go and spend time with nature, escape from the hustle and bustle of city life for a day. It’s also a good way to get some exercise as well by walking around and tending to your plants. Gardening is therapeutic – you’re not only benefiting from what you’re doing, but also from the environment around you.
It feels like such an accomplishment when I’m done harvesting! I’ve grown something myself that will then be used to feed me and my loved ones. And any extra vegetables are often given away or sold locally.
Of course, you need good tools. One of the most indispensable tools is a garden spade.
A garden spade is the primary tool of a gardener’s toolkit due to the variety of its uses. Every gardener requires a versatile tool with which he or she can perform tough gardening tasks. The most important thing to consider while choosing a garden spade is to check its durability, quality, shape, size and to check whether it is comfortable to use or not.
It is also important to consider the garden space while choosing a perfect spade shaft. Always select a spade that has an ergonomic design comes with a lifetime guarantee. It can be a cumbersome job to decide which is the ideal garden spade that will do the job for you.
Choosing A Digging Spade
Some of the most common types of garden spades include a digging spade that has a flat blade that is best used for moving and turning soil. With its curved blade, a pointed spade is used more for hard-packed soils that require more force to penetrate.
Border spade is a lighter version of a digging spade. Moreover, the border spade is usually smaller in size than a conventional spade and it can be of great use while digging landscape borders.
Best Overall Garden Spade
- Designed for edging, cutting a trench, slicing through thick turf or digging; Great addition for everyday gardeners, yard cleanup, landscapers and work sites
With its great size and an astounding digging spade, this is by far the sturdiest shovel that you will find in the market. This high-quality tool is a great gift for an avid gardener and it can fit in almost any gardening tool kit bag.
The spade is very versatile and you can easily set it up just by twisting the single knob to adjust both the head and the handle of this shovel.
The most promising feature about this shovel, when compared to similar products, is its opposing pick-ax that others lack, for the same price. You can work with this spade on the densest soils.
Best Stainless Steel Garden Spade
- Perfect Gardening Tool For Variety Of Gardening Works
Say goodbye to the fear of bending or breaking the spade with this ultralight, rugged heavy-duty stainless steel. This high-quality blade can penetrate even through hard soil and tough roots with ease. It is an excellent choice for any gardener. If you have some stubborn clods in the garden then this is the perfect tool for you to shatter those clods into pieces.
The handles of this spade are very strong, the metal is even stronger and thicker than the conventional garden spades which make it one of the best garden spades in the market. You can do all the heavy digging with this splendid garden spade sue to its ergonomic design.
Best Serrated Garden Spade
- Root cutting trowel designed to last a lifetime of digging for the serious gardener.
Say Hello to your perfect companion for gardening. The serrated edges of the spade along with its comfort grip make it a very handy garden spade. It is extremely sturdy and the orange handle is perfect for visibility.
This serrated garden spade is of top-notch quality and comes with its own case to carry in your belt. It will be a perfect addition to the list of your garden tools.
Best Heavy Duty Garden Spade
- DIMENSIONS: 60.25 inches L x 9 inches W x 3 inches D and weighs 4.5 lbs
If you are looking for a heavy-duty, bend-proof, powerful tool for working on hard rocky soils then this perfectly designed garden spade is the ideal tool for you. The firm grip of the spade that is made of rubber along with an extra grip contoured for fingers and a comfy palm rest makes it the most comfortable spade for gardening on stony soils.
This spade has a sturdy blade and it is very well-balanced and well-proportioned for gardening on soil with ease. This spade comes at a very reasonable price and it is a tool of choice for avid gardeners due to its comfortable design.
FAQs
Choosing the right garden spade shaft
The right garden spade shaft enables the avid gardener to dig the ground with ease. The ideal garden spade shaft varies from person to person and its mostly about your personal preferences. The key factor in deciding the right garden spade shaft depends on the type of tasks you are looking to perform with it.
The wooden shaft is good for absorbing shock and vibrations but on the downside, it does not work well if its wet. On the other hand, the metal shafts are way stronger than the wooden shafts but they cannot absorb the shock and vibration, as well as the wooden shaft, does. Plastic and fiber shafts are not only light but are also durable, shockproof, and can absorb vibrations.
Choosing the right material for your garden spade
We spend hours searching for the best digging spade to get the job done and the most important thing to consider while purchasing a garden spade is its durability. The durability of the garden spade is dependent on the quality of the material from which the garden spade is made of.
The first thing that you need to consider before selecting the right garden spade is the type of soil on which you are going to perform gardening on.
If you are planning to dig up heavy ground then the stainless steel material will be the best option for you. However, if you cannot carry a heavy garden spade then stainless steel won’t be an ideal choice due to its heavy weight. You can use carbon steel if you are looking for a lighter and easy-to-operate garden spade for digging.
Handle Length Considerations
The length of the handle plays a key role in the successful execution of the gardening task. It is important to consider the handle length while choosing the essential tool for gardening. Rushing to get a particular job done with a handle having an inappropriate length can lead to muscle pain and long-term back problems.
You will have to bend less when using a longer shaft but it makes an unconventional digging angle for the gardener which is quite hard to adjust. The best thing about the long shaft is that it takes away that extra strain off your back.
The ideal handle for a shaft should not be so short that it will put a strain on your back and can potentially cause an injury however it shouldn’t also be not that long that it makes it very difficult to make the right angle to get the task done.
Spade or Shovel? What’s the Difference?
The spade and shovel are designed for different tasks and are inter-replaceable. Usually, gardeners have both the spade and shovel in their toolkit to perform a variety of gardening tasks. A shovel is used for digging and it has a relatively broader blade and it is pointed at the tip whereas the spade has a flat rectangular blade with straight edges.
The size of a spade is smaller than that of a shovel. The shape of the spade is more precise than a shovel. The blade of the spade is in line with the shaft, it is not angled forwarded like the shovel. Simply, if you want to dig holes then opt for a shovel and if you want to move a pile of dirt from the soil then use a shovel.
What is the difference between a long-handled and a short-handled spade?
The main difference is between the weight and length of both spades. The long-handled spades are lighter and you have to bent less while using the spade which makes you less prone to injury.
The lightweight design of the long-handled spade makes it easier to lift. If you have a good height then the long spade is best for you. Short handles blades are heavier and best suitable for digging in a tight space. If you have a short height then the short spades are more easily to manage for you.
How do I maintain my spades?
Grease your spade on a regular basis and keep it lubricated to prevent it from causing any severe issues. Clean your spade on a daily basis to get rid of the dried soil. Try to use the spade with gloved hands.
It is equally important to sharpen your spades at least once a week as a sharp blade can penetrate through tough soil and it can make the life of an avid gardener easier.
How do I keep my wooden handles from breaking?
The most important factor that keeps your handle from breaking is the way you use it. If you regularly take care of the handle, do not overuse it, and abstain from discarding it casually after using it then it will last longer.
Some additional factors that may prolong the life of the handle are wiping the rust off your dirty wooden handles and clean it after using them. You can smoothen your handle by using sandpaper as well. Oiling the wooden handle is another good strategy to keep the handle in good shape and prevent it from breaking.