How to properly dig soil with a shovel

It would seem that it could be easier than working with such a popular tool as shovel? More physical effort, a boost of energy, and the work will begin. But no, because in fact, it is not only important to choose the device correctly, but also to use it correctly, observing the digging technique.

How to use a shovel?

Knowing the main rules for using garden tools is like making your work easier and making the process of processing a plot less energy- and labor-intensive. By following the advice of experts, work will be a joy.

In the morning after active work there will be no pain, and the device will remain safe and sound.

Correct technique

Literally every person knows how to use gardening tools from childhood. The movements can be easily repeated to benefit the garden. But knowing how to perform simple manipulations correctly, you can significantly reduce the load on your own body.

For example, raising shovelfilled with soil, you should not apply force only with your wrists. Try to hook the handle with the elbow of one hand. In this case, much less effort will be required to lift a heavy tool and turn over the soil.

During this process, we advise you to keep your back straight and distribute the weight along the center of the spine. This will avoid pain in the morning after digging up the garden.

Change your supporting hand as you work.This point is extremely important, as it helps distribute the load across all parts of the body without overworking one side of the body.

Nuances of work

First of all, choose the right shovel. The length of the handle should be up to the elbow at the moment when it is stuck into the ground to a depth of about 25 cm. Try on the tool at your height in the store, hold it in your hands, and make characteristic movements.

If the device is too heavy or fits awkwardly in your hand, do not buy it.

To dig up the ground, it is better to take a shovel with a sharp and well-sharpened blade. Square ones do not penetrate the ground well. If sharpening is not enough, use sandpaper or a sharpening wheel.

How to dig up a site?

To improve the garden, it is enough to penetrate the soil to a shallow depth at an angle of 45 degrees. A sharpened semicircular shovel that fits well into the ground is suitable. Place the metal tip against the soil and press down with your foot to force the blade into the soil. Then pick up a lump of earth and, lifting it, turn it over. At the same time, we advise you to remove weeds and roots of extraneous grasses so that they do not grow in the beds in the future.

There is a so-called miracle shovel. It is a titanium frame on which the rakes are located opposite each other. They are designed for digging and loosening the top layers of soil in an already developed area. But with the help of such a tool you will not be able to dig a hole.

To quickly and efficiently dig a hole, you will need a sharp shovel with a well-sharpened blade. It is used to cut the soil strictly vertically in small layers of 3–4 cm. In this way, it is much easier to remove excess soil and dig a deep hole even in clay and peat soils.

There are many varieties of garden tools on sale today that are suitable for a certain type of work. Select devices for specific purposes and follow the basic rules, collected for you by specialists.