I’ve always looked forward to the point in my life where I could start and tend my own garden, but as a perennial home and apartment renter I never had the chance (Sure, I could have started a vertical garden, but it wouldn’t have satisfied my need for greening my thumbs).
This year is different.
I finally entered a spring with my own house, my own yard, and my first opportunity to create a vegetable garden.
I have given myself a crash course education, mainly from the numerous gardening articles and Special Reports produced here at Survival Life, as well as regular conversations with ‘Above Average’ Joe.
He’s full of great information, and I wouldn’t have been able to get started as easily without his help.
True to form, Joe showed up last week with a unique and interesting gardening tool, and asked if I wanted to take it home for the weekend and give it a review. Like I said, he’s full of great help!
When Joe put the EZ Digger in my hand, I couldn’t help but think of the Grim Reaper’s scythe. Before anyone points it out, I already know scythes were originally used for mowing grass and reaping crops, but you can’t deny the instant connection to the black-cloaked personification of death.
Alright, now that the morbidity is out of the way, let’s get on with the review. The EZ Digger is made of hand-forged steel and a wooden handle, and is sturdy yet lightweight. The specially designed blade has a slight curve and a pointed end, allowing soil to be thrown to the side like a mini plow. Ultimately, this makes it faster and easier to dig holes and trenches.
The EZ Digger is basically set up opposite from a traditional hand spade, utilizing a pull action instead of a push. This is supposed to make things easier, but it honestly took a little more getting used to than I anticipated.
Still, it just so happened that the EZ Digger was perfect for the small amount of work I needed to do. At this early stage of spring in Austin, Texas, things are just barely starting to sprout. We’re lucky to have such an early growing season, and I acknowledge the fact that parts of the country are still underneath inches of snow. Nonetheless, Central Texas weather gives us the chance to start things sooner, and the EZ Digger made the necessary maintenance pretty simple.
While I didn’t need to dig any new holes, I did want to make some small mounds of soil around the stems of some of my vegetables, if nothing else to give them a little more support as they grow. One side of the EZ Digger is flat, making it easy to gather and mound soil by turning it sideways.
I can also see how as plants get bigger, the EZ Digger would make thinning a pretty simple task. It could also be beneficial in the general loosening of soil before planting, as well as the ever-constant battle against weeds.
One nit to pick: the sharp steel point of the tool made it hard to pull soil out of a plastic bag without ripping it from the inside. A plastic spade is much easier to use for that.
The Good:
- Lightweight and sturdy
- Great for leveling and mounding
- Saves energy with plow curve
- Multiple uses in one small tool
The Bad:
- Tricky to get used to pull vs. push
- Pulling soil out of a plastic bag is difficult
- Not good for big jobs or leveling large plots
The Bottom Line:
I’d definitely recommend the EZ Digger for any gardener, for nothing else but its range of uses. It seems like it would take the place of two, maybe even three other tools, so it’s a practical and valuable addition to the gardening arsenal. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work great for vegetable, flower, herb, or any other reasonable-sized gardens.
Have you ever used a tool like the EZ Digger? How did you like it? What’s your favorite gardening tool to use? Share some thoughts in the comments below, and enjoy starting your seasonal gardens in the coming weeks!
To kick start an EZ garden:
Get your Vertical Garden Report today. For just $7, this report lays out all the tips and tricks you need to start your own vertical garden! Click here to grab yours while supplies last: http://t.survivallife.com/vertical-garden-21973
Want more? Check out these related articles from our site:
Do It Yourself Vertical Garden Guide from Survival Life
Vertical and Container Gardening: Charts and Images
Grow Your Own Organic Garden Even in Small Spaces
