[Jamie Butterworth]

What do you prefer to dig with? I never used to be without my spade, but i have recently started using a fork, which i have found is better

 Which do you prefer?

[Yorkie]

Winter digging (if I did it) = spade

Usual digging rest of the time = fork (I usually have to get weeds out  )

Digging up parsnips = spade (fork just goes either side of the root!)

Cutting through obstinate thick roots of plants I'm trying to get out of the ground in my garden = spade, jumping up and down on it repeatedly whilst thinking evil things in my head but not wanting to shock the neighbours by saying them out loud 

[mumofstig]

Fork for me unless I am actually digging a hole, or digging something up

[Lardman]

How can you dig with a fork? thats what a spades for.  

[RichardA]

depends on job -- I prefer spade for just turning over and for double digging but if ground a bit claggy (like today) or I am just loosening up then I can get on better with a broad tined fork. I have a special fork for lifting potatoes and a graft (narrow bladed long handled drainage type spade) for post holes etc. I also have a favourite stable fork for mucking out ducks, moving compost, raking up hedge trimmings etc. Most of time I have both fork and spade out with me when digging over the ground. Favourite tool is a very thin bladed long handled spade my grandfather who was a blacksmith made for his father who was quite tall as indeed am I but I cant risk it on anything too solid.
Handle length for comfort and blade length for working depth is critical with me.
R

[Nige2Plots]

For me Jamie it's a Spade for most tasks, except when I'm weeding, then it's a fork!

[savbo]

anyone here know what a grape is?  no I don't mean the thing on a vine...

[rainie]

Spade for digging things out of soil, dont to winter digging any more.
Fork for forking soil over.

Grape? Is it like a spade on a shaft the wrong way round? Think i have one in the shed for making channels in soil. Never really known what its proper job is though - if thats what it is.
The other thing it could be is a3 pronged foky thing  on a long shaft to drag through soil?

[pigeonpie]

As per Yorkie, but I don't keep my words to myself!

[JayG]

Spade for really moving soil around, fork for turning and weeding (although having very sandy soil I sometimes just take a little plastic bucket and spade and have a picnic!) 

[savbo]

Grape? Is it like a spade on a shaft the wrong way round? Think i have one in the shed for making channels in soil. Never really known what its proper job is though - if thats what it is.
The other thing it could be is a3 pronged foky thing  on a long shaft to drag through soil?

that's what OH calls a fork - it's the N Ireland name for it....

[griff]

i always winter dig with my two tyne fork

[Trillium]

Mostly a regular garden fork. Tines are close enough to also drag up more stones.

Spade only when I'm cutting into sod to edge for new areas or garden expansion, then to shift the first spade load. Spade only for holes.

[chimaera]

Surely there is no contest here; you choose the best for each job. Is the soil is really loose and falls through a fork tines, you use a spade, if you have heavy clay that a spade gets stuck in, you use a fork. I have the latter and find a spade almost useless most of the time.
Charlie