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Step 1
Pick a good quality garden tool that performs well at cultivating, lifting soil and heavy materials, digging holes and irrigating gardens. These are all of the tasks a garden shovel performs.
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Step 2
Choose from two kinds of spades: a standard digging shovel or a border spade for digging in smaller sections.
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Step 3
Select the type with a tread on the top of the blade that makes it heavier and more expensive. The tread makes it easier to push the blade through the soil and is easier on the gardener's footwear.
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Step 4
Pick a heavy spade with an 8x12 inch blade for garden jobs that require extensive digging.
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Step 5
Consider the automatic spade with a spring and lever system designed to assist person's with back injuries.
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Step 6
Buy the stainless steel bladed shovel for a lighter weight, non-rusting option. A carbon steel blade is still the best all-around shovel blade.
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Step 7
Select the proper handle length for a garden shovel. The length of shovel handle depends on the height of the user. A standard shovel handle length is 28 to 29 inches long and made of wood or metal.
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Step 8
Opt for the garden shove with a D-type hilt or handle instead of a Y-type hilt that could split if used for heavy loads. T-type handles are uncommon and available if special ordered.
