Shovels 101

If you're wondering which shovel to use for certain gardening chores, we'll give you a hint: it's all a matter of physics.

The flat head and straight edge of the garden spade make it good for cutting borders for landscape beds and for general bed-turning, but you won't be able to move much soil with it.

Round Point

Used for general digging. Its round point provides easier entry into even compacted dirt, and the concave blade makes it more efficient for moving soil.

Narrow Head

A narrow blade requires less force to drive into the ground, so this spade is best for a host of digging and transplanting tasks. For transplanting, look for a head that's about a foot long; for digging narrow drainage ditches, look for a head that's about 15 inches long. A trenching shovel also comes in this shape with a deeper blade for better scooping.

Use this shovel for scooping and moving loose soil, compost, gravel or mulch. It's a good picker-upper, not a digger.