Allotments 4 All

What ever you buy, DON'T buy one from asda.
I bought one of their cheap spades £4.99 and never even got to use it.
It broke in the house before I had even got the wrapping off.
The OH took it back the next day, got the money back and was told that was the second one to be returned that day

Quote from: BAK on July 01, 2008, 11:12:04
for heavy work, eg removing strong roots, I would personally use a mattock or pick axe.

For heavy work, I'd use a team of Eastern Europeans.

Quote from: Eristic on July 01, 2008, 01:22:03

QuoteJust because you've paid a lot of money for a tool, doesn't mean it's going to be any better.

I disagree. Buy cheap, buy twice as they say.
Allotments are no place for Micky Mouse tools, you need the best and the knowledge as to how to use them. If money is lacking buy secondhand.

What I meant by the comment was that, in a lot of cases, you can pay a premium price for a 'name'.

We have a border fork that cost £2.99 from Woolworths.  We've had it about ten  years, and shows no sign of giving up.  We also have some very sturdy trowels from Wilkos/Woolworths, which cost £1.99, and a hand fork from Poundland, which we have had for a similar time.  If they all packed in tomorrow, they wouldn't owe us anything, so if we had to buy twice, every ten years or so, I  wouldn't be too unhappy. ;D

valmarg

Sharpen the cutting edge of the spade - my OH uses an angle grinder - a bit extreme but sees me thro a whole digging season and makes it really easy to slice thro bramble roots and other nasties.

Pick axe every day.
Our new plot is pretty much like a brick with weeds on.
The pick will get into the soil, a spade and fork will not get more than 2" deep. I've been using the pick to break out lumps and roughly break them up. Then, turning the axe on it's side presenting a masive surface area smashing the lumps which is breaking them down in half the time a fork, spade, hoe or anything else can. Additionally you can drag it through the broken soil to remove roots etc.
Finally by laying it on it's side it can be used to "rake" the soil flat.

ALL THIS FOR £12.00  or less!!!  ;D

Garden Forks and Spades are made for digging normal garden soils, if you want to dig hardcore you need a Road Breaker Fork (1/2" square tines and steel strap right up the handle) and an eighteen stone navvy to go with it.

I have  a 'Azada' among  my digging tools and like the post on this site a couple of months ago Why have I not used one before, I will be using it to just break the ground before I run the rotovator over in the spring, it should save a lot of time and effort  :)

Mattock, very fast for breaking up compacted ground and moving earth quickly to get to roots. They do them for £10 including handle from Wicks. I payed a little extra at the Builder Centre for a Hickory handle (will probably outlast me!)
My spade and fork are both budget £5 jobs from B&Q (due to a lack cash), seem to be fine so far!  :o

Quote from: siandc on August 03, 2008, 20:37:07
Pick axe every day.
Our new plot is pretty much like a brick with weeds on.
The pick will get into the soil, a spade and fork will not get more than 2" deep. I've been using the pick to break out lumps and roughly break them up. Then, turning the axe on it's side presenting a masive surface area smashing the lumps which is breaking them down in half the time a fork, spade, hoe or anything else can. Additionally you can drag it through the broken soil to remove roots etc.
Finally by laying it on it's side it can be used to "rake" the soil flat.

ALL THIS FOR £12.00  or less!!!  ;D

wow
id have given up well done you.