Ready to get the garden into the swing of spring? Can't do it without a shovel. Consider this Shovels 101.

Shovels fall into two categories: Good and crummy. A good shovel is not hard to find if you know what to look for. A crummy shovel is pretty easy to find, too, especially if you are looking for a bargain.

Higher priced shovels are, of course, better quality tools. But you don't have to spend a bundle on an industrial grade digging tool. A good garden shovel that will last for years can usually be found for $20 to $30. (I bought my trusty shovel eight years ago for $24, and it is still going strong. Do the math: That averages out to $3 a year and counting.)

Soil counts

The type of soil will determine the kind of shovel that will work best for your garden. Flat-bladed spades can't be beat in well-worked, friable soil, and they are so trendy. Why, every English garden show on television displays one! But that's England. Here in the Triangle, we have to deal with reality: red clay.

Densely packed red clay is a fact of life in most gardens, and a straight-edged spade is hardly the tool to use to penetrate such a compacted mess.

The common round-pointed shovel is the digging tool to use. Compared to a spade, its scoops are more ragged, but the curved edge makes it much easier to dig in compacted soil.

There's also the trenching spade that's a shorter, narrower version of the round-pointed shovel. It is the digging tool of choice for many seasoned gardeners who have to hack their way through clay soils.

Determining quality

What determines a quality shovel? Start with the weakest part: the handle.

Fiberglass-handled shovels are being used in more gardens these days, and with good reason. Although they can be more expensive, fiberglass handles are 40 percent stronger than wood handles. Also, they are waterproof and won't splinter, warp or dry rot.

As for wooden handles, most major tool manufacturers use ash wood for handles. This hardwood is an excellent choice -- it is the same wood major league bats are made from -- but like the shovels themselves, there are good ash handles and crummy ones.

A good ash handle will have a straight, fine grain pattern along its entire length. Irregular patterns in the wood are often signs of weaker wood, hence a weaker handle.

If the shovel you are thinking of buying has a painted wooden handle, it is kind of tough to look at the wood grain. These handles should be avoided. Why? Just ask yourself: "What is the paint hiding?"

And make sure the handle is the right size. In loose dirt, a spade works fine with a short handle, but when dealing with clay, a garden shovel's handle should be long. This not only gives more leverage to loosen up stubborn soil easier, but it also helps prevent the digger from constantly bending over -- a sure way to get the backache blues.

The best blades are forged, but they can be expensive. Shovels with stamped-metal blades are more commonplace. They are easy to spot because the metal is bent around the handles. Generally, the better shovels of this type are made of thicker metal. And, as with handles, avoid painted blades.

Shovels need care, too

Even if you buy the best shovel your credit card can afford, it won't last long if it is not taken care of.

Ash handles are quite strong, but they are vulnerable to the outside elements. A shovel should be put away after it has been used, and, if the wood handle's protective coating is showing signs of wear, it should be brushed with a layer of either polyurethane or varnish.

The metal blade is made to take the wear and tear, but it is still susceptible to rust, so the blade needs to be cleaned off after it is used with an oily rag. This will not only prevent deterioration of the blade, but it will also prevent the deterioration of those ol' back muscles as a rust-free blade slides into the soil much easier.

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.