Shovels A to Z

What kind of shovel do you need? There are tall ones, short ones, fat ones, skinny ones, rounded ones, square ones and then there's the spade!

If you're digging a hole, the rounded shovel with a point can't be beat. A square shovel is excellent for moving or transferring piles of soil. If you have mounds of mulch that need to be moved, then you may want to invest in what's called "the scoop." This is twice as wide as a regular shovel--so it can get rather heavy when fully loaded--but if you buy one made of aluminum, it's easier on the back.

That brings us to every gardener's tool, the spade. It too is square, but the blade is flat rather than scooped, which makes it an excellent tool if you have to dig trenches or divide perennials.

Spades and shovels come in two different sizes. You'll find those with long handles, which are especially handy if you suffer from a bad back, and smaller versions with D-shaped handles, which give you more control in the garden. The handles are generally made of wood or fiberglass. The wood will last a long time as long as you take care of it. Fiberglass is lighter than wood but it's supposed to be twice as strong and last forever. Fiberglass costs a bit more than wood.

Also in this Episode

Rebecca's Garden : Episode REB-720
•	Cacti and Succulents: The Perfect Indoor Plants
•	Hydrangeas
•	Shovels A to Z
•	Succulent Dish Garden