Digging Tools
The principal tool of the Neolithic farmers was the hoe, which had a stone head lashed to the handle, like the woodworkers' adze of the time. Down to the Middle Ages shovels for shifting earth or mixing mortar were made of solid wood, but spades for digging were shod with iron, usually costing about four times as much as the spade itself. The grubbing mattock is a direct descendant of the Roman soldier-carpenter's axe-adze, which also fathered the pickaxe. Digging forks and hand forks came later.
Pickaxe
OTHER NAME: Pick
SIZE: Weight: 5, 7, 10lb; Handle: 36in.
MATERIAL: Head: steel: Handle: hickory, good quality ash
USE: To break up solid materials
Pickaxes have one pointed tip, which is used to hack through concrete and other very hard surfaces. The chisel (or spade) tip is used for chipping up softer materials, like asphalt, or compacted soil. A lightweight 4lb pickaxe with a 26in. tubular steel handle is handy for garden use. Heads and handles can be bought separately.
Road Wedge and Tongs
SIZE: Wedge: 18 x 11in.; Tongs: 24in.
MATERIALS: Steei
USE: To break up tough surfaces
These tools are used on surfaces too rugged to be broken up with a pickaxe, or to make a start before getting to work with a pickaxe. One person holds the wedge, with the point against the surface, in the tongs, while another strikes it with a heavy hammer. These tools are now generally superseded by power tools.
Grubbing Mattock
SIZE: Weight: 5lb; Handle: 36in.
MATERIAL: Head: steel; Handle: hickory, good quality ash
USE: To grub out tree roots
The chisel tip of the grubbing mattock is used to break the ground up around the roots and split and hack out the remains of the stump below ground. The wider blade loosens and prises out roots.
Post Hole Digger
OTHER NAMES: Post hole borer, post hole auger
SIZE: Blades: 6in.; Shaft: 48in.
MATERIAL: Steel
USE: To make holes in the ground to take fence supports
The most effective version of the post hole digger is a borer which is pushed into the soil and twisted like a corkscrew. The blades, mounted horizontally on a steel bit, cut rapidly through the soil which is carried up to the surface by their action, leaving the hole clear.
Tree Planting Tool
OTHER NAMES: Draining tool, trenching tool
SIZE: Blade: 16-1/2 x 5iin.
MATERIAL: Blade: alloy steel; Handle: wood or strengthened plastic; Shaft: wood
USE: To plant trees
The length of the blade makes jt easier to dig to a good depth for tree planting, particularly where you do not want to disturb the surrounding ground too much. The long tapering blade shape makes it possible to dig out a deep, straight-sided hole suitable for fence posts. It is also used for drainage trenches and channels.
Shovel
SIZE: 11 x 8-1/4in., 12-1/2 x 10in., 16-1/2 x 14in.
MATERIAL: Head: steel; Shaft: hardwood, tubular alloy steel
USE: To shift gravel, manure, sand, cement, coal
Shovels are made in different shapes - taper mouth, round mouth and square mouth. The taper mouth is a dual purpose shovel used for shifting loads and for digging. The round mouth is used for shovelling up heavy material like rubble, and is also sometimes used for digging. The square mouth shovel is chiefly used for shifting sand and cementj particularly in concrete making, when the straight edge of the head can be used to mix the constituents together.
Border Spade
SIZE: 9 x 5-1/2in.
MATERIAL: Blade: alloy steel, stainless steel; Handle: moulded piastic, hardwood; Shaft: aluminum alloy, hardwood
USE: Light digging
Border spades are useful when digging in restricted plots or among established plants. Being lighter in weight they are often suitable for the elderly or disabled gardener, but can be used wherever light digging only is needed.
Digging Spade
SIZE: 7-1/2 x 11-1/2in., 6-1/2 x 10-1/2in.
MATERIAL: Blade: alloy steel, stainless steel; Handle: moulded plastic, hardwood; Shaft: hardwood
USE: Heavy digging
Digging spades have rounded, pointed and square blade shapes. Some have treaded (turned over) shoulders, for comfort and protection for feet and footwear. Handles can be D- or T-shaped.
Stainless steel spades are the best as their polished blades cut into the soil most easily. However, alloy steel blades will perform efficiently if kept clean and polished after use. Before storing them away, scrape all clogging earth off with a piece of wood, wash the blade, and wipe it over with an oily rag when dry. An alloy steel blade can be sharpened when necessary with a file.
Choose a spade of a size and weight to suit your strength. Thrust the spade into the ground vertically for successful deep digging. A slanted blade produces shallower and slower digging.
A variation of the digging spade has an alloy steel blade with four large points to provide a strong cutting action in heavy soil such as clay. This makes it particularly useful for people who are setting out a brand new garden.
Terrex Spade
OTHER NAME: Automatic spade
SIZE: Blade: 8 x 4in.
MATERIAL: Alloy steel
USE: Assisted digging
With this spade the earth is lifted and turned by a spring and lever action which eliminates unpleasant bending and the physical effort of lifting the soil. The digger only has to push the blade into the ground with the foot plate and lever the handle backward slightly. It is popular with elderly or disabled gardeners and is also a time saver for the able-bodied, enabling them to dig a much larger area of ground at one time than they could with a conventional digging spade. There is an optional fork head attachment.
Digging Fork
OTHER NAMES: Garden fork, graip
SIZE: Prongs: 8 x 12in., 7-1/2 x 11-1/2in., 7 x 11in., 6-1/2 x 11in., 6-1/2 x 10-1/2in.; Junior size: 5 x 7in.; Length; 39 x 40in.; Junior: 32in.
MATERIAL: Prongs: stainless steelj alloy steel; Handle: toughened plastic, wood; Shaft: aluminum alloy, hardwood
USE: To break up dug over soil
The fork is used after ground has been dug over with a spade to loosen and break up the soil even more. It is particularly useful on heavy soils which tend to stay in large clods after digging. You can also use it for lawn aeration - thrusting the prongs repeatedly as deeply as possible into the turf. It is ideal for lifting plants, as the prongs are less likely to damage the root system, and can be used for spreading and forking over manure and compost and for forking in fertilizers.
Forks are available with T-or D-shaped handles.
Border Fork
SIZE: Prongs: 9 x 5-1/2in.; Overall length: 36-1/2in.
MATERIAL: Prongs: steel; Handle: wood, plastic; Shaft; aluminum alloy, plastic
USE: To break up dug-over soil
The small, light border fork is used in confined places or crowded borders and for loosening weeds growing intermingled in clumps of perennials. Fork lightly through the clump without disturbing established flowers.
Potato Fork
OTHER NAME: Light plantation fork
SIZE: Prongs: 30 to 32in.
MATERIAL: Prongs: alloy steel; Handle: plastic, wood; Shaft: wood
USE: To lift root crops
The flat faced prongs of the potato fork are designed for strength and to avoid damaging the crop. The fork can also be used to spread compost.
Long Handled Weed Fork
Hand Fork
Hand Trowel
OTHER NAME: Garden trowel
SIZE: Blade length: 5in.; Blade width: 2 to 5in.; Handle: 5 to 12in.
MATERIAL: Blade: stainless steel, alloy steel, strengthened aluminum alloy; Handle: wood, plastic sleeved aluminum alloy, plastic, nylon
USE: To plant seedlings
Wide bladed trowels are the best for planting, as the blade makes a good sized hole in the soil. The narrower bladed trowels are good for planting bulbs and small seedlings. Trowels are useful for potting up and seedbox work in the greenhouse.
Two variations of the hand trowel are the fine trowel and tine point. The fine trowel has an offset head which helps to keep the hand above the soil surface, making work easier in damp or heavy conditions. The fine point is specially designed for delicate work with house plants. It is useful too, for separating and diinning seedlings and making furrows in a seedbed or seedbox.
Some hand trowels are graduated with planting depths on the blade and have a retractable measuring tape in the handle.
Daisy Grubber
OTHER NAME: Lawn weeder
SIZE: Head: 6in.; Handle: 5in.
MATERIAL: Prongs: alloy steel; Handle: wood
USE: To pull weeds from a lawn
The daisy grubber pulls up well rooted weeds that spoil a lawn. Push the two prongs into the ground as deeply as possible under the weed. Lever the grubber backward, using the tempered steel "elbow" as a fulcrum and tear up the weed by its roots.
Dibber
OTHER NAME: Dibble
SIZE: Various
MATERIAL: Alloy steel, wood
USE: To make planting holes
The simplest dibbers are about 6 to 8in. long with a D handle and are made of wood shaped to a point. Dibbers of steel and wooden dibbers with steel tips are also available. Some are graduated for guiding the depth of planting. Hollowed, steel dibbers, called bulb planters, are manufactured up to 3in. diameter. Many gardeners make their own dibbers from the handles of superannuated spades or forks.
There are also dibbers designed to make a series of pre-spaced holes simultaneously. They are plastic floats carrying a number of pointed studs, which are pressed into the soil in seed trays, leveling the earth at the same time as they create the seed holes. This speeds up seed sowing and also regulates spacing and depth.
Make sure a dibber is not too sharply pointed, otherwise an air space may be left beneath a transplanted seedling. This can fill with water and can cause root decay.
Draw Hoe
OTHER NAMES: Swan necked hoe, drag hoe
SIZE: Length: 54 to 66in.; Blade: from 2in.
MATERIAL: Head: alloy steel, stainless steel; Shaft: plastic sleeved aluminum alloy, hardwood
USE: To break up soil, weed, mulch, turn up earth
Draw hoe blades come in a variety of shapes, but the most common are either straight, curved along the bottom or triangular. The neck between blade and socket can be short or long. Long necks are often curved, giving the hoe its name "swan necked".
Draw hoes are pulled through the soil toward the user, as he moves forward. They go more deeply in the soil than Dutch hoes. Alternatively, they can be used with a chopping action to break up the surface of the soil and hack out tough weeds.
The side of the blade can be used to make seed drills in prepared soil and the blade itself can be pulled through the soil to make trenches.
ONION HOE
Onion hoes are short-handled, draw hoes. They are swan necked, with 6in. half moon shaped blades. They are used for weeding in thick growth.
ITALIAN HOE
The general purpose, or Italian hoe, is a variation of the draw hoe. The forged steel blade is fixed directly to a short hardwood handle (40 to 48in.). Used with a chopping action it clears overgrown plots quickly, but can also be used for breaking up soil and doing more delicate weeding and planting.
DOUBLE HOES
These combine the features of a draw hoe and a two or three pronged cultivator. They come in a range of sizes, including a small hand model with a 2in. wide blade and 36in. hardwood shaft for use in confined areas like rockeries and raised beds. A pointed blade version is useful for drawing seed drills.
Fork Hoe
OTHER NAME: Canterbury hoe
SIZE: Length: 42 to 60in.; Head: 8 x 4-1/2in.
MATERIAL: Head: alloy steel; Shaft: hardwood
USE: To break down turned soil, weed and turn up earth
This hoe is a variation of the draw hoe and is used in the same way. It has a pronged head and combs the soil in the manner of a rake, but can pen-I etrate to greater depth.
Dutch Hoe
OTHER NAMES: Push hoe, thrust hoe, scuffle hoe
SIZE: Length: 58 to 66in ; Blade width: 4 to 6in.
MATERIAL: Head: alloy steel, stainless steel; Shaft: plastic sheathed aluminum alloy, hardwood
USE: To weed and loosen soil
The Dutch hoe is used to keep down weeds between rows of crops and around bushes. It can also be used for mulching and working in fertilizers.
The hoe is used with a forward movement, sliding the blade just beneath the soil surface, cutting the roots of weeds and loosening the soil surface. The user moves backward as he works so that the hoed ground is not trampled.
Ideally, a hoe should reach to the user's ear level when held upright. Stainless steel hoes move most effortlessly through the ground and are easy to clean. After use, adhering soil should be scraped off all implements with a piece of wood. They should be washed clean and wiped over with an oily rag when dry.
Scuffle Hoe
OTHER NAME: Push-pull hoe, swoe
SIZE: Length: 58 to 66in.; Blade: 4 to 6in.
MATERIAL: Head: alloy steel, Stainless steel; Shaft: aluminum alloy, hardwood
USE: To weed and loosen soil
Scuffle hoes are double edged to allow a backward and forward hoeing motion. They can be diamond shaped, or have a double pointed blade.
The swoe is a further variation with three bevel ground edges, making it possible to hoe around plants without shifting your stance.
Leaf Rake
OTHER NAMES: Spring tine rake, bamboo rake, wire rake
SIZE: Length: 58 to 63in.; Tines: 15 to 24
MATERIAL: Head: bamboo, spring steel; Shaft: bamboo, aluminum, hardwood
USE: To comb out and gather up moss, dead grass and leaves
This fan-shaped rake with long, curved, flexible tines commonly made of bamboo or steel wire glides over the lawn widiout penetrating the soil. Used regularly it improves the quality of the grass as clogging moss, dead grass, decaying matter and the flowering heads are teased out, allowing air to reach the grass roots and permitting better drainage. It is also used to gather up grass clippings and leaves.
Lawn Rake
SIZE: Length: 58 to 60in.; Head width: 23 to 40in.
MATERIAL: Head: alloy steel; Shaft: aluminum alloy s hardwood
USE: To collect grass cuttings
This wide headed rake has curved tines mounted on a straight rear bar. Its width makes it a speedy and efficient gatherer and it is therefore particularly useful for large lawns.
It has shorter tines than a leaf rake and can be used for leveling prepared seed beds.
Garden Rake
SIZE: Length: 54 to 64in.; Tines: 10 to 16
MATERIAL: Head: stainless steel, alloy steel, wood; Shaft: plastic sleeved aluminum alloy, hardwood
USE: To prepare soil for planting
Garden rakes are used to prepare the fine tilth needed in seed beds, combing through the top inch or so of soil, breaking down lumps and removing stones and debris. The back of the head is used to make shallow seed drills, the soil being raked back after planting. Flat to the ground, the rake head is used to tamp down the soil firmly over sown drills. When sowing seed broadcast, soil is raked in one direction, the seed scattered and the soil raked again in the opposite direction to cover the seed.
Rakes are also used for leveling plots of earth, spreading gravel on paths, and working fertilizer and dressings into the topsoil. Wooden headed rakes are good for breaking up turned soil and clearing rubbish.
An upright rake should reach to the user's ear level, allowing the gardener to work without undue bending.
Small garden rakes are manufactured with 5 to 8 tines and 36 inch shafts. These are used by children, and for work in confined spaces, like rockeries ana raised beds.
Stainless steel heads are expensive, but are easy to use and rust resistant. The polished tines slip through heavy soil with less clogging.
Cultivator
SIZE: Head width: 2, 31, 4, 6 and 10in.; Handle: 10, 36, 54 and 60in.
MATERIAL: Prongs: alloy steel; Handle: hardwood
USE: To break up and aerate topsoil quickly
The smaller headed cultivators are used in confined spaces, like rockeries and raised beds. The larger heads break up soil more quickly than the conventional hoe or rake. Some have removable prongs allowing a range of head size. Some models have heavy share-cutters on the prongs for very rugged work. A variation incorporates a blade for cutting down weeds, which can be worked out with the prongs when the tool is turned over.
They are either used with a chopping motion, like draw hoes, but with the user moving backward, as in dutch hoeing, or are pulled through the soil like a plow.
Rotary Cultivator
OTHER NAMES: Spin tiller, soil miller
SIZE: Head width: 6in.; Length: 67in.
MATERIAL: Head: cast iron, alloy steel; Handle: hardwood
USE: To rake and weed simultaneously
The rotary cultivator has a row of spiked wheels tc break down the soil to a fine tilth, and some models have a rear knife which controls the working depth, cutting off the roots of weeds. The tool is also useful for hoeing between plants and can be used with one hand. On heavy soils it is best to go over the area twice, leaving a day or two between each tilling.
Some variations incorporate a battery of pronged blades mounted on a drum. These stir up the soil as the drum rotates, while a wide scuffle knife, fixed on the drum, cuts the roots of surface weeds to a depth of 1in.
