Digging through tough soil can be hard enough. But digging through dirt laced with roots requires a shovel with some teeth. Luckily, that’s exactly what Radius Garden’s Root Slayer Shovel is. “When it comes to digging deep roots, a specific shovel known as a ‘root shovel’ or ‘root spade’ is often recommended,” says Knapp. “These types of shovels are designed to cut through and remove roots without causing excessive damage to the surrounding soil or plants.”
The sides of this V-shaped shovel are lined with serrated teeth that will saw through roots while you dig them up. It’s also got wide, flat areas above the shovel, offering a sturdy platform to push down with your foot. That should help you tear through rooty soil even more easily.
When you’re digging up something heavy, it’s best to use a lighter shovel so you don’t wear out your arms, back and shoulders. This shovel from Nupla, with its lightweight fiberglass handle, weighs just under five pounds. The head of the shovel has a rounded edge, making it a better choice for scooping up things like gravel and rock than more sharply pointed shovels.
