Broadfork or deep spader experience

[Jack]

Anybody have any experience with these? They are pretty pricey, but might do the trick for my hardpan situation. The steel ones at Pleasant Valley are $180.00. Thank you.

[Doug Kanter]

Post a link to the item, please.

[Jack]

My question was worded incorrectly. Its a more general question. Thank you.

Does anybody have experience using a broadfork and/or deep spader? Wondering if they are worth the money.

[Travis M.]

"The handle comes off for easy replacement"? Doesn't sound good to me.

[Ev Dugan]

ago) the broadfork offered by Johnny's -- double-handled, whole-body weight used to insert fork into ground. It was manageable for a middle-sized, middle-aged woman, but I preferred to spend the money to have someone power-till the garden.

[Doug Kanter]

[Pat Kiewicz]

I use one to maintain established beds in the vegetable garden. It has two handles joined by a bar. It allows me to loosen up the bed (and pry up encroaching tree roots) with far less disturbance to the soil than a tiller. And it's much, *much* more effective for this than a conventional spading fork.

I've used it for more than 15 years (that I'm sure of) and it's got many more years left in it. It looked expensive at the time, but looks pretty cheap spread across so many years.

single handle looks inadequate.

The broadforks at Lee Valley or Johnny's Selected Seeds would be better, though neither is quite like the one I have.

Mine looks more like this one, though not exactly like it:

Wikipedia even has an entry on broadforks:

[Laura at theGardenPages]

I have heavy, clay, adobe brick soil. And I have a bit of experience with forks. Even if you are able to sink it into the ground that 16", you won't be able to turn the soil or lift it without Superman helping. I've had luck working at a depth of a few inches, turning it, chopping up the soil and then prying up a few more inches of soil. It helps if you soften up the dirt with a good soak a day or two before. -And warm-up exercises for you! Spend your money on a nice sturdy fork with a handle at the end you can really turn without breaking it off - or you could rent a tiller for that. Mix in lots of organic matter to keep the soil from turning back into a brick. Good luck!

[lvtadz]

Pat Kiewicz,Plymouth Michigan ? Know any Pat or Tadz Kiewicz from Chicagoland area or Plymouth Pa. ? LVTADZ [e-mail]

[lvtadz]

Pat Kiewicz,Plymouth Michigan ? Know any Pat or Tadz Kiewicz from Chicagoland area or Plymouth Pa. ? LVTADZ [e-mail]

[Pat Kiewicz]

Nope. (There's another Pat K. in Las Vegas, or so I've been told.)