Allotments 4 All
General => Assisted Gardening => Topic started by: small on September 13, 2009, 20:27:30
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I found an old thread (2004) about the Terrex spring spade, but about its availability rather than its usefulness. Has anyone here used one, is it worth my searching for a second-hand one? How heavy are they? As well as the lifting part, I struggle to get a spade into soil (no leg shove), are they easily kept sharp?
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There are a few 2nd hand ones selling on EBAY. New ones will set you back up to and around £100. At the moment... I would not pay that for one.
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I sklip-dived one not so long ago... must get round to findingout what it's liketo use (cos I hate digging) .... I could do with getting the fork head for it though.....
chrisc
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Wow, that was a find! Let me know how it works - I've followed the other thread on no-digging, much of which I do anyway, but there are places where a spade is needed. I reckon no-one out there actually uses one of these......
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The OH has/had one bought it years ago, it was quite pricey then and he didn't use it much he gets on better with one of those very long handled spades
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I have used an old terrex spade for years. They mean that you can dig without bending, for hours, only your hands get sore from the handles rotating in your grip.
Ideally you need to trench first, to provide a hole into which you pitch the sod, and this follows across the dug area.
You still need to be able to foot-in the spade, except in very loose soil. The blade is old-fashioned carbon-steel, so it will take a good edge. The sequence is:
Dig in the blade, not more than about 6 inches from the edge.
Rock the spade forward to break the sod loose.
Flick back the spade handle.
The spade pivots on its back extension, and if you get the knack, the sod goes up, turns over, and lands upside down in the trench.
Continue until bored / tired / thirsty.
Cannot beat it for pre-winter rough digging!
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Small do your arms work better than your legs. Could you use a small azada type tool any better. There places on our plot where we couldn't get a spade or fork in the ground but the azada went in without a problem.
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Thanks, Bionear - I can't do the foot-in bit very well so maybe the Terrex isn't different enough. About the Azada, grannyj: I've looked this up in severalplaces, is it just like a sharp mattock? One site shows it like a sort of draw hoe.....it may be useful for ground prep, but I still need to find a way to prepare bean trenches etc. Thanks all for your help.
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Here is a video of a Terrex spade in action
http://www.backsavergardentools.co.uk/
Duke
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small,
i have used my azada from a wheelchair when i'm bad,
i can dig potato trenches with it.
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i use a German version call an hortag auto-spade it has a interchangeable fork and spade head and is much better engineered than a terrex which i have also tried, i have very severe acid reflux which prevents me from bending too much, i find the fork head much easier for breaking up the soil than the spade-head but you still need to put your foot on it to get it in the soil so this also may not be of much use to you but its another one to consider.
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Thanks, littlebabybird, I shall research this one further, it's very frustrating when your body just won't keep pace with your wishes! I toppled over today using a pair of long-handled clippers higher than I had the balance for....good job no-one was near with a camera. That's the last time I grow giant sunflowers.