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The best garden shovels to take on all your tasks

There are a number of garden shovels to consider for various tasks. A round-point shovel is good for digging; a trowel shovel is ideal for precise tasks; a trenching shovel or drain shovel is great for digging narrow holes; and a square-point shovel or a scoop shovel is suitable for lifting and moving material. These leading garden shovels cover a lot of that ground, and more.

Shovels for gardening feature many types of handle and blade materials. There are round point, square point, trenching, drain, scoop, and scraper shovels, but a gardening shovel typically has a rounded blade and slightly pointed tip. That makes the shovel useful for digging, transplanting, lifting. and other garden tasks.

Edward Tools Bend-Proof Garden Trowel

Best Garden Shovel Overall

So, which is the best available garden shovel? This one by Edward is surely among the top choices. Considered one of the most heavy-duty garden hand trowels on the market, it is made of one-piece stainless-steel that’s bend proof, so the tool is ideal for working in rocky or heavy clay soils. The shovel’s oversized trowel head is designed to remove soil in greater volumes.

ESOW Garden Tool Set

Best Garden Shovel Set

If a solid garden shovel set is on your radar, tune into the ESOW Garden Tool Set. It comes with a hand trowel, transplant trowel, and cultivator hand rake that feature soft, rubberized, non-slip and ergonomic handles designed to reduce pressure on wrists and hands. The durable tools are made of heavy-duty cast aluminum that is resistant to rust and breakage.

ZUZUAN Garden Tool Set

Best Value Set

Want a garden shovel set that’s both effective and affordable? Then consider this economical set, which comes with a hand trowel, transplant trowel, and cultivator hand rake made of a polished, high-quality aluminum alloy. Their rubber handles are designed to be comfortable and ergonomic, with contoured finger grips and palm rests that help reduce hand and wrist fatigue. The hand trowel has a smooth shovel tip and large head to displace more soil quickly.

Radius Garden Root Slayer Shovel

Best Serrated Shovel

If a serrated garden shovel intrigues you, check out the Radius Garden Root Slayer Shovel, which is designed to reduce stress on hands and wrists. The serrated digging shovel features a V-shaped cutting tip to more easily rip out roots and dirt, and a durable, powder-coated, carbon steel tip. The tool offers a wide foot placement to more effectively push the shovel into soil.

Be ready to take on digging, transplanting, weeding, decomposing, and other soil tasks by using a good garden shovel. When it comes to durability, functionality, reliability, and comfort, these shovels rank high.

Winterberry: A complete care guide for this holiday favorite
Adding a winterberry tree to your garden
A spineless holly or winterberry plant

The outdoors in winter can seem bleak and barren, but there are actually many plants that still thrive in the snow! In addition to early blooming flowers and winter vegetables, there are many types of evergreens. If planting different types of pine tree isn’t your idea of a good time, then consider planting some winterberry trees instead. This lovely tree is great for most types of gardens and can provide color and interest to your winter garden. Want to get started growing your own winterberry tree? Here’s everything you need to know in order to successfully care for your winterberry.
What are winterberries?

A winterberry tree is a small tree or shrub in the holly family. Ilex verticillata is the botanical name, but it's typically easy to find under the common name winterberry. True to its name, this shrub produces red or orange berries in late fall and winter. Although it is a type of holly, it doesn't have the glossy, spined leaves characteristic of English holly. Instead, it has long, oval leaves that are a lighter shade of green and don't spines. These plants are also dioecious, meaning the male and female flowers appear on different plants. That means if you want to see berries, you'll need at least two winterberry trees.

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How to care for winter rye, a fantastic cover crop
Growing this cover crop has many benefits
A field of rye grass

If you grow a lot of warm-season annuals, then your garden might be empty during winter. This can have some unfortunate side effects, which is why we recommend planting a cover crop. Cover crops have a number of benefits depending on which one you choose, ranging from replenishing the soil and preventing erosion to simply stopping your garden from looking quite so empty.

Winter rye is an excellent cover crop with plenty of benefits. This guide to growing winter rye will explain everything you need to know about what those benefits are and how to grow your own!
What are the benefits and downsides of winter rye?

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How to grow winter jasmine for January blooms
Growing your own winter jasmine shrub
Yellow winter jasmine flowers

If the long, cold months of winter have left your garden looking cold and empty, it might be time to start planning your spring garden. There are a number of early-blooming spring flowers you can choose from, including classics like tulips and daffodils. If you want something a bit larger than your standard bulbs, you should consider planting winter jasmine. Not familiar with this plant? Don’t worry, we’ll answer all your questions about winter jasmine care so you can get started growing your own.
What is winter jasmine?

Winter jasmine, or Jasminum nudiflorum, is a shrub with thin, vine-like branches and bright yellow flowers. In its native habitat of China, it's among the earliest blooming shrubs, blooming right at the end of winter and beginning of spring. In the U.S., it can actually bloom even earlier, sometimes beginning in November, if the weather stays mild. However, it most commonly begins blooming in January or February, typically continuing until March.

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