Topic: Spade or Fork?

[amanda21]

When digging over my bed today I noticed others digging with spades.  I'm using a fork - is this OK?  It seems easier to get out the weeds with a fork and the ground has been fairly recently cultivated so isn't too hard and solid.  What do others use?

[katynewbie]

:-[

Lets be positive Amanda!! WHEN, not if, we no longer have weeds we can use a spade to tip the fine soil over gently ready for all our planting!!

Meanwhile, I use a fork to tease out the million miles of couch etc and find it easier that way!!

But one day...when I am a grown up allotmenteer I will use a spade!! LOL

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Jill]

Fork for weeding here too.  Only use a spade for planting and digging over a relatively weedfree bed (if I ever have one).  If that's novice practice then I'm a permanent novice ;D.

[kenkew]

Spade to turn the ground and leave it rough to allow winter frost to penetrate. Fork definately for removing weeds, a spade will only chop them up.

[supersprout]

I think it depends on your soil and how you want to clear or aerate your plot. My soil is light e.g. not clay (so doesn't need to be left in clods over winter).
I use three types of fork on my plot :o; a cultivator fork (tines bent at right angles) for quickly clearing and weeding beds, or hilling up; a two-handled 'broadfork' for deep cultivation and aerating beds; and a 'normal' fork for e.g. lifting leeks and patooties and all the other odd jobs. Well, it's essential to have the right tool for the job isn't it   :-[ ;D
A chum in Downham Market has to use a spade for everthing because her soil is so light it just falls through a fork, even in winter. But I never do, unless it's attached to a spade handler  ;D

[Garden Manager]

I hardly ever use a spade just to dig over the soil. I know you are supposed to but on my soil you need a fork to get past all the flints and stones and break up all the lumps it invariably forms into. My spade is used primarily for planting holes and trenches.

[amanda21]

Brilliant!  Thanks for putting my mind at rest.  I shall stick with my fork - the only spade we have anyway is a flipping great thing - too heavy for me. ::)

[campanula]

digging stick - a sort of chillingworth hoe with a flat blade at one end and two prongs at the other - use it for everything, including threatening teenagers (mine)

[Billy45]

Spade for digging in manure, & keeping lottie paths clear. Fork for everything else

[Robert_Brenchley]

I use a spade for chopping into thick turf (not that I've got any left!) and digging deep roots like parsnips or well-established docks. Otherwise I use a fork because I find it easier going. When there are no perennial weeds left, and nothing to dig out, I use a digging hoe, but there aren't too many places I can do that. I only turn the soil when I have to.

[jennym]

Mostly use a fork when the soil is heavy, and a spade when it dries out a bit. However, have found that I can get more digging done overall when  using a small border spade - taking it gently, little bit at a time, instead of trying to turn over huge chunks of soil. Ok, maybe this is the "ladies" option, but I'd rather do it that way and enjoy digging even if the chaps do laugh at me. ;D

[Paulines7]

I use a spade and hubbie uses a fork.  Use whatever is most comfortable and the easiest for you Amanda.

[Garden Manager]

Oh yes I did mean to add that i find the fork easier for digging than a spade ;D ;)

[grawrc]

I find spades too heavy for most jobs so prefer a fork or my azada. I use the spade for eg digging trenches and deep digging (don't do much of that though ::)) I think it's best to use what you are comfortable with and what does the job efficiently for you.

[redimp]

I use a fork as much as possible because I do not like messing with the worms or the soil structure.  I only use a spade if I need a hole or a trench.

[Growbe]

It really depends on the job and time of year.

Today I dug an area with a fork. Used a fork to cover that with cow manure and then used a spade to dig it in.

Last year I had a load of horse manure and those areas where it was used, in the summer were best dug over with a spade. The areas not manured got baked and the only way to break it up was with a fork or my fav tool a mattock.

I would suggest investing in a really good fork, second hand, borrowed it does not matter. I have one which was my grandfathers and it is stronger and so much easier to use than new forks. It is a lot wider as well which speeds things up.

So my tip for the day is keep an eye out at car boot sales etc...there are some great tools out there that will last a lifetime.

[amanda21]

Thanks all.  The fork I have belonged to my late father-in-law so it must be 25-30 years old I guess.

I need to invest in a hoe though - any tips or recommendations?

[supersprout]

Lucky you with the Heritage Forke! If you do a search on this site using e.g. 'which hoe', you'll see that people have firm favourite hoes for different purposes (and even make their own  :o). Here's a sample: http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=28&topic=13410.0
Erm, confess I have more than one  ;D ::)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I have a metal-handled fork which I picked up for a fiver in the local market, just after getting the plot. The weight's right for me, the balance is right, and it's so strong I can use it as a lever and really put my weight on it without worrying. Look around, you never know what you're going to find.