Re: spade and shovel (was [romconlang] -able)

On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 7:01 PM, ROGER MILLS <rfmilly@...> wrote:
> Barry Garcia wrote:
> > I usually use spade to refer to the small hand shovel used for
> > planting small plants like bulbs and plants in quart pots.
> >
>
>  Trowel, trowel, trowel ;-))))
>
I once used "secateur" to refer to "Pruning shears" on one of my
gardening lists and one member somewhat rudely made a big deal of this
new foreign word. He must not watch British gardening shows :).

Yes, trowel is a name for it, but I use spade because few people know
what a trowel is :D.


>  OK, shovel, though you could use a spade for that too. But don't try
> digging a ditch or foundation with a spade; tiring and frustrating. (Of
> course out there in sunny California you don't have to dig foundations 4+
> ft. deep [below the frost line]).
Well, spades don't give me enough leverage and I like to be able to
stand to dig, rather than crouch a bit. Most of the time when a
foundation or line needs to be dug, they use a back hoe for it.

Sunny California? Maybe Spring and Fall, but not summer (Hey, didn't
you attend the DLI here?)


>
>  Spadel yes, it can be used in that way too; that's why you keep it sharp.
>
I find it makes it easier than using the weeding hoe. Much more weight
and leverage.

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