Blade Planting Tools (continued)

Planting Shovels

Function

Planting shovels produce planting holes larger than those produced by other planting tools. They are used primarily for planting larger seedlings with relatively large root systems. Careful planting with shovels produces high survival rates for all types of seedlings. Planting shovels are particularly easy for inexperienced planters to use.

Description

The blades of planting shovels are made of heavy-gauge steel and are usually reinforced with welded plates or beads along their spines. All models have wide step pads to which rubber pads may be added. Planting shovels are available in a wide range of styles, each of which is adapted for particular planting conditions and for particular types of seedlings.

Planting shovels are available with blades from 8 to 14 inches (20 to 36 centimeters) long for different soil depths and compaction, and for different types of seedlings; with straight, rounded, or chisel-point bottoms, depending on the hardness or rockiness of the soil; with flat or concave blades; and with straight handles or with handles that have D-grips (not as useful for scalping). Flat blades penetrate well, but moist soil may stick to them.

Operation

Planting shovels can be used as spades to dig large or deep holes, or they may be thrust into the soil and rocked to form a hole quickly. Once the seedling has been planted, the shovel can be used to scrape dirt around the seedling's roots or to pierce the soil and push dirt around the roots.

Operators use their foot to tamp the soil surface around the seedling. Operators may be able to plant more than 350 seedlings per day.

Advantages

Planting shovels are rugged, versatile planting tools. They are well suited to planting large bareroot or container seedlings and to planting in areas where high survival is crucial. They are relatively easy to handle in areas with heavy slash or brush. Operator fatigue is less than for some other types of planting tools because much of the work is done with the operator’s legs and body weight.

Disadvantages

Planting shovels are most effective in deep, loose soils. They may not penetrate well in shallow or rocky soils, or in soils with lots of roots. On sites with many obstructions, a separate scalping operation may be needed before planting. In many situations, operators using planting bars or hoes can plant more seedlings per day than operators using shovels.