Okay, so today I wanted to try my hand at using a spear shovel. I’ve seen these things around, and they always looked pretty cool, like a hybrid between a shovel and a spear, obviously. I figured it would be perfect for some of the tougher digging jobs in my yard, especially with all the roots and rocks we’ve got going on here.
First off, I went out and got myself one of these spear shovels. It wasn’t too hard to find, just at the local hardware store. I picked one that felt sturdy and had a good weight to it. It had a pointed, narrow blade, which looked like it could really slice through the dirt.
My first mission was to tackle this area in my backyard where I’ve been meaning to plant a new tree. The soil there is packed pretty tight and full of old roots from a tree we took out last year. I started by driving the spear shovel into the ground. It definitely went in easier than a regular shovel would have. I could feel it cutting through those smaller roots without much trouble.
I used a rocking motion, pushing and pulling the shovel to loosen the soil. It was a bit of a workout, but satisfying. I could see how the pointed blade was really effective at breaking up the compacted ground. Every now and then, I would hit a bigger root. This is where the “spear” part of the shovel really came in handy. I could jab at the root, using the point to weaken it before leveraging the shovel to pry it out.
After a while, I had a decent-sized hole going. I was sweating, but feeling pretty good about it. I took a break to grab some water and then got back to it. I kept digging, clearing out more dirt and roots, until the hole was the size I needed for the new tree.
My takeaway from the whole process?
- Spear shovels are pretty darn effective.
- It’s easier to dig through tough soil.
- Roots don’t stand a chance.
- But it’s still a good workout.
It’s definitely a tool I’ll be using again. Next up, I might try it on that rocky patch near the front of the house. If you’ve got some tough digging to do, I’d say give one of these things a try. Just be prepared to put in a little elbow grease!
