If you have a large amount of lightweight material to move, a wide scoop shovel works best. Spades are useful for cutting and digging heavy soil, digging straight-sided flat bottomed trenches, or removing a layer of sod. Garden forks have thick tines and are used for turning soil and breaking up soil clods. Pitchforks have longer tines which are useful for moving light, loose material. Picks and mattocks are used to work ground that is hard, rocky or root filled.
Picks have a pointed end and a chisel-like tip.
Mattocks are used for loosening soil that is root filled. These have an axe-head on one side and a flat hoelike head on the other. Garden rakes are used to level and prepare seedbeds for planting. They are not meant for lawn areas. Garden rakes may damage the turf and their tines often become plugged with debris.