Azadas

[sallylockhart]

Have heard some good things about Azadas and was thinking about buying one as a birthday pressie for my OH (who has a bad back but wants to plant his own potatoes  :) )

Are they as good as people make them out to be? And is it worth it in a small (ish) garden - veg plot currently 2.5 x 15m?

[sallylockhart]

[delboy]

I'm a convert to them, even if I still call mine a mattock.

Last year there was a long thread about them, with various UK and non-UK sources. They are cheaper in France than anywhere here, and last year I paid the equivalent of £5.50 for mine!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I got mine for £8 (I think) in a local market. Most people's prices in the UK are ridiculous.

[Larkspur]

Hi, I have only very limited experience of using an azada but I, like your husband, have a "bad back". I can quite see that in light, dry soil these tools would be easy and efficient to use but in the heavy, wet clay I was using one in they are murderous hard work compared to a digging spade and in such soil I would not recommend one to anyone with back problems.  ;)

[amphibian]

The bad back thing is a red herring... if you suffer from sacral/lumbar pain then an azada is a god send, if you suffer from dorsal/cervical pain then a spade is better. I suffer from both due to a massive discrepancy in the alignment of my spine, I switch between the two to give the other area a break.

They are fine in heavy soil, in my opinion. It is all in the technique.

Where they really come into their own is digging ditches, trenches, levelling ground, earthing up. What I would not recommend a bladed variety for is breaking new ground with perennial weeds, for this a fork is best, azadas/spades really cut up the rhizomes.

[sallylockhart]

Thanks for that - OH has a weakness in his multifidus muscles (which is classed as sacral/lumbar pain) and there isn't any clearing to do in the garden (prev owners left the veg plot dug over lovely people) so it will just be routine maintenance, hoeing, earthing up etc.

So I think an azada might be a good pressie for him.

Second question then - where can I get one? I know of the getdigging website, and am not averse to spending £25 on one (tis his birthday after all), but is there anywhere else for comparison's sake?

cheers

sl

[Doris_Pinks]

hi Sally,try this thread, it is one of the many discussions we have had about them! I love mine, and have 2, one regular, and one with a fork end, can't speak highly enough about them, or the company, they were brill when I ordered mine, mind you that was ahem many years ago now!
The link is somewhere in this page!
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,28/topic,12088.0

[grawrc]

Used our spade like one and the fork type one today to dig over beds for sowing. I think thay are great tools. I find them much faster and easier to use than traditional forks and spades.

[Chief]

Hi Sally,
If it helps I typed in Azadas on Google & the following site came up,
www.get-digging.co.uk
They show all different weights and types of Azadas as well as prices etc.

[sallylockhart]

Thanks for that Doris - have been looking for another thread with the info I wanted for a while - then got lazy and started my own  ;)

Think that I will get an azada from the getdigging people as they do several sizes and I can get one that both OH an I can use reasonably comfortably (there being a foot difference in height between us)

They are a bit expensive, but hey, it's his birthday, and if it means that he does all the digging this year it'll be well worth the money  ;D ;D ;D

[monkey puzzle]

Hi Sally

I bought one from get-digging with my birthday money.  Chose a light-medium I think.  Blurb said it was suitable for ladies.  I must be feeble 'cos it's plenty heavy enough.  However, on our sandyish soil it manages pretty well.  Together with the right angled fork it is easier on the back although I do resort to digging with an ordinary border fork too.  Digging with a spade is out as far as I'm concerned.  Right angled fork breaks up the clods of earth and drags clumps of grass out of the ground easily.

:)

[cowellen]

:-[ i had to do a google search to see what an Azadas was  :-[

i know now ;D thanks

[bupster]

My neighbour has a big French tool which is like an oversized right-angled fork with six tines. Fantastic for clearing ground and even for hoiking out perennials - he just rakes them out.

[amphibian]

My neighbour has a big French tool which is like an oversized right-angled fork with six tines. Fantastic for clearing ground and even for hoiking out perennials - he just rakes them out.

I really want one of these, but have searched to no avail.

[sallylockhart]

getdigging do a three tined one that looks quite sturdy.

[grawrc]

It's super. I use it to dig potato trenches and for weeding. Great for long rooted weeds

[bupster]

This is it! http://www.castorama.fr/boutique/sku/sku.jhtml?elementId=Casto630067&productId=CastoJA0602 Though my neighbour's is bigger, I think, and the head is plain metal. Very very effective. Elsewhere the description translates as "Hook to be dug out of forged steel LEROY MERLIN. Handle of the apple type 135 cm, in waxed beech. To clear the heavy or stony grounds and to collect potatoes."

[grawrc]

looks straight out of "peasants' Revolt" lol

[sallylockhart]

right, i have now ordered a 7" medium azada (whatever that may turn out to be)

will let you know how I and OH get on when it arrives

[waggi]

i started that thred back last year and the one i wanted was a chillington hoe they are quite expensive but i still have not got it

will be looking on the car boots that will be starting soon thank god

waggi