Which tool is often mistakenly called a shovel, and has flat or gently curved blades for planting or transplanting, edging, and turf removal?

Which tool is often mistakenly called a shovel, and has flat or gently curved blades for planting or transplanting, edging, and turf removal?

• A. Ear Muffs
• B. Grape (grubbing) Hoe
• C. Sprayer
• D. Spades

Answer: (D)

A spade is the tool often mistaken for a shovel. Its blade is flat or gently curved, usually square or rectangular, which lets you cut cleanly into soil, slide under roots for planting or transplanting, and create straight edges for edging or turf removal. That straight, flat blade makes precise cuts and neat trenches, and it works well for lifting turf without tearing it. In contrast, a shovel has a rounded, scooped blade designed to move bulk material, not to make clean edges or precise root-ball insertions. The other tools listed aren’t designed for digging, edging, or turf removal in the same way.

A spade is the tool often mistaken for a shovel. Its blade is flat or gently curved, usually square or rectangular, which lets you cut cleanly into soil, slide under roots for planting or transplanting, and create straight edges for edging or turf removal. That straight, flat blade makes precise cuts and neat trenches, and it works well for lifting turf without tearing it. In contrast, a shovel has a rounded, scooped blade designed to move bulk material, not to make clean edges or precise root-ball insertions. The other tools listed aren’t designed for digging, edging, or turf removal in the same way.