Trowels are perfect for setting out bedding plants and bulbs or digging shallow-rooted weeds. Other small hand tools such as a 12-inch hoe and fork are equally valuable if you garden mainly in raised beds or containers. A garden shovel with a pointed, dish-shaped blade is lighter and smaller than construction shovels. It's designed for general-purpose digging, lifting and moving. A spade has a flat blade and is de-signed for cutting rather than moving soil.
Spades are excellent for shaping straight-sided trenches and edging beds.
But they aren't good for preparing planting holes, because they may glaze the sides. Long handles offer greater leverage and may be less tiring to use. However, short handles are often thicker and stronger. Fiberglass handles hold up well and are easier to find if left out in the weather than those with wooden handles. A spading or garden fork is ideal for turning heavy soils or coarse compost and for digging.