A spade is used primarily for digging around or loosening fields or beds, and for digging planting holes. Over time, many different blade shapes have evolved - mainly as an adaptation to regional soil conditions.
These can be divided into two basic shapes:
- Spades with a rounded piercing edge for sandy and loamy soils
- Spades with a pointed piercing edge for hard, stony and rooted soils
Most amateur gardeners will do best with a spade in the classic "gardener's form" because this blade form can be used universally on most mixed soils.
However, there are also specialists designed for a specific purpose, such as the draining spade or the KRAFTSPATEN.
Lady spade
Some spades have an overall smaller blade and are lighter than the conventional models. This makes digging or shifting quantities of soil - especially in heavy soils - much easier. These lighter spades are specifically designed for anyone who prefers simple and easy handling and professionals who want to use the spade for extensive planting work.