This month, I’ve been busy redesigning and planning our vegetable patches ready for the new growing season. Our veg patch has grown over the years without any real planning, so has ended up as one large patch without any access paths to divide it which has made it difficult to maintain weed free soil and provide easy access to crops.
With some newly set-out and laid turf paths, it was time to get the patch weed free before starting some serious winter digging to get the patches ready for Spring! For this, I’ve been testing out the Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Digging Spade & Digging Fork from their newly launched range.
These feature a more traditional style wooden handle with hard wearing green epoxy coated carbon steel heads and riveted construction, and the build quality is amazing for the price. I can see why they come with a 10 year guarantee.
With the new paths in place, I set about digging the patches over using the single digging method; using the spade to dig the soil out in rows, and then adding organic compost to the trench before starting the next row back and covering the previous trench mixing in the compost with the soil. I used the fork in the base of the trenches to break the soil, which aids drainage, as well as for digging over and breaking the larger clods of earth.
In use, I found the tools were well balanced, had great leverage and were very comfortable to use. I soon had the patches dug over and ready to rake down. I now have some very accessible veg patches which I can’t wait to get planted up in the spring with new potatoes, onions, sweetcorn, runner beans, beetroot, carrots and much more!
In summary, the strength, build quality and comfort that the Wilkinson Sword Carbon Steel Digging Spade & Digging Fork provide are outstanding for the price and they are tools I will definitely be using again and again.