This spade isn’t a budget item, but fits neatly into the ‘mid-range’ price category, bringing the quality you would expect as a result. There aren’t many downsides to this spade, seeing as it’s well made to a high standard. However, some gardeners may find the handle a little narrow, especially for larger hands. This Wilkinson Sword Digging Spade isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, even though the traditional wooden handle does make it a visually-appealing addition to the shed. There are several small features that help boost the quality of the spade further, including the tread on the top of the head, and the extra bolts on the shaft and under the handle to make it stronger. There’s also a ‘dent’ whittled into the handle that will stop it from coming loose and twisting over time. If you’re completely renovating your garden, starting from scratch is better. If you just lay topsoil on top of existing turf, all of the old problems will return: weeds, moss, flooding.

Roughneck 17lb Post-Hole Digger - Screwfix Roughneck 17lb Post-Hole Digger - Screwfix

Nevertheless, it’s a great tool for any garden job, and has the strength to make tough tasks a lot easier. Plus, there’s the added reassurance of knowing exactly where it’s been made. The 70 cm polypropylene shaft is also strong, with a wide-grip handle that’s comfortable to hold. It’s relatively lightweight compared to a lot of garden spades, at 2.18 kg, as a result of the construction materials used. If you’re laying a new lawn, either with turf or grass seed, ensure that the soil is moist. Water the soil lightly before turfing or sowing new seed if it hasn’t rained since rolling. How to level a garden: Levelling with a digger Loosening the soil in the garden beds with an electric hand-held cultivatorYou probably have an industrial-sized digger in your head, but a mini-digger is all you really need for a garden. Weight it worth buying special attention to because it can be especially hard to bear in mind when shopping online. Laying the foundations for a carport or garage: it stands to reason that you need a level surface for building projects. Levelling your garden is an essential first step in the process.

Roughneck Heavy Duty 15lb Post-Hole Digger - Screwfix Roughneck Heavy Duty 15lb Post-Hole Digger - Screwfix

Levelling your garden is the process of starting from scratch with your lawn. Essentially, you clear out your existing turf to level out the soil surface. If you’re doing the work for yourself, the main costs are for topsoil and any tools you don’t already have.

The shafts of gardening spades can be made from various materials. The most common materials are wood, polypropylene, fibreglass and aluminium. Levelling the garden is a big job, and it takes a fair amount of time. But it’s completely worth the effort. In fact, this is a relatively petite spade overall, not just in terms of the handle but also in terms of length as it measures 96 cm long in total. Sowing new grass: tilling the soil makes the soil workable and brings oxygen into the earth. This needs completing before you sow new grass seed. Regardless of the handle material you go for, you should wear gardening gloves to avoid blisters. Features That Indicate Quality