Spades

[JMCKG]

Any recommendations for decent spade for allotment use? Looking for one for me and a lightweight one for my wife.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Go along to your garden centre and try a few out for weight/balance/etc. The same spade won't suit everybody

[JMCKG]

Go along to your garden centre and try a few out for weight/balance/etc. The same spade won't suit everybody

Yes will do that. But looking for a decent make, did buy one from Wilko and the blade bent. Cheap so you get what you pay for.

[Kirk]

I would suggest a small bladed one, even if for you. Just easier to turn over a smaller bit at a time. It is not a test of strength nor a contest for how big a volume you can turn in one go.

Cannot or will not recommend a make as my last "good" one broke after 15 months, the cheapie I bought is going strong after 6-8 years.

[roitelet]

One that suits you for size and weight and a handle, long or short, that can be replaced. I am not in the first flush and not very tall and prefer a spade with a long handle and medium blade.

[Alison]

It also depends on what you want it for. I was surprised to discovered that I could dig over my plot much quicker with a decent fork than a spade. Suspect it depends on your soil too. Do beware lightweight ones though as they're often not up to the job and you've wasted your money.

[Greenleaves]

As my soil is well worked and quite friable, I use a border fork and spade. I personally won't purchase Sp32r & Jackson as I fined them poor quality. But as already suggested a trip to the local GC and try them for size

[greenishfing]

10 years ago we bought ours. We paid extra for stainless steel as I am accustomed to my husband's bad memory and didn't want to find a forgotten rusty relic in the Spring. They are still like new but well used.

[cptncrackoff]

I treated myself to a Fiskars lightweight fork and spade a couple of years ago, until then I only had hand me downs..
This was so much lighter, a little longer and really easy to use, I have an underlying back injury that doesn't take much to antagonise!
I'd recommend them to anyone.
I picked them up in an orange branded DIY shed half price for £25 each.

[roitelet]

I'm still using my Grannies fork with a Y handle. Must be at least 100 yrs old!!!!!!

[Guest]

I should really go round the carboots and see whats about. I was using my FiLs spade til a year or so, got a b+ queue and that that didn't quite make the year I tend to prefer the feel of old tools

[Dianaalice]

Don't use a spade very often, can get on better with a fork and Fiskers three pronged cultivator, couldn't do without that.
I wouldn't buy lots of expensive stuff on our allotments, things have a tendency to go walkabout with other people.
Just a cheap spade from Asdaaaaa does the trick for my needs.