Customer Reviews

Fiskars 9654 Transplanting Spade

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What a shovel!

So far I've used it to transplant two pittosporums (each about 4' tall). It's like a surgeon's instrument. It has an extra-wide foot-stomping plate on the top of the blade that makes it easy to get lots of weight in just the right place. The sturdy plastic handle is comfortable in the hand and solidly attached to rest of the steel shovel.

I also used it to lever the pittosporums out of their hole. This worked great with very little flex in the shovel. The pittosporum with soil weighted about 60 pounds I'm guessing.

The blade is sharp enough to cut through small 1/4"-to-1/2" or so roots if you are determined. For big roots, a root-pruning saw is easier.

Full disclosure: The soil I was digging in was moist from a recent rain, and I didn't hit any large roots or other obstacles of note... pretty much perfect transplanting conditions.

Update - 2009-12:

This shovel is still digging strong, and I use it a lot. I particularly like the all-metal blade and shaft which allows you to apply a lot of leverage without fear of snapping the shaft. This is very handy when transplanting a large root mass. I've broken one of my other shovels that had a fiberglass shaft by levering it too much.

I spray it down after every use and then wipe it with an oiled rag, so it should last a good, long time.

Buy the shovel! It's worth every penny and if you don't like the shovel send me a nasty email!
It's also great to use as just as a regular ol' shovel.

totally loving this thing, it shaped like a trench shovel, only hollower, steel shaft make this a well balanced package, d-handle also helps on yanking soil loose, if you need one heavier shovel for landscapping use, get this one. It can serve many purposes.

Best shovel so far that I have come across. We break several tree spades each spring when we work on our tree plantations and the Fiskar has been the longest lasting. Its worth the extra money compared to the cheaper ones sold at home depot and menards. Only thing that I would recommended for improvement is where the post and the shovel meet the spot welds could be reinforced to add more strength. I had to do it myself due to them coming apart after severe usage. I see the most stress in that area especailly if the soil is dry.

I bought this shovel largely because of the very positive reviews written by other customers. It turns out that the reviews are correct! The shovel is VERY well made and performs beautifully at digging narrow and deep holes. It is sturdy, well balanced, and pleasing to use. The price is right, and I doubt the shovel will ever fail. It digs very efficiently and has several features that make it effective, including the wide top handle and the wide foot lip at the top end of the blade. The blade tip is sharp and cuts through small roots with ease. The whole thing seems unbreakable, sturdy, and pleasing to use. A good product that works well, and for a fair price. Highly recommended if you need such a shovel in your garden shed! (It worked well for me while starting about 20 post holes for a new fence that I built. My wife also likes it for transplanting her garden plants and bushes.)

Had my heart set on a transplanting spade for years. Plant a lot, move things around, divide perennials every spring and fall. With all the other tools I have (several generations worth) I couldn't quite justify the expense. This spade is fantastic and the price was right! First day it arrived planted four hollies, moved five hydrangeas and devided three huge hostas. Sharp, strong, and beautifully designed, this is probably going to be my gardening friend for many seasons to come.
Special features:

Low cost compared to all others
D-handle for strong grip
Wide step plates with diamond plate traction
Color that never lets you miss it in the shed

A beauty and very well made from a brand I trust!

Wonderful spade. I have a variety of soils (some red clay and most amended clay). Even with tree roots, this spade cuts through the soil, allowing me to plant easily. Being a 'senior' with gout issues, this is terrific. This spade is my new favorite garden digger. I had looked for something similar at the local hardware and big box stores....Amazon should have been my first stop....it would have saved a good bit of searching.

Slices through my challenging clay soil like it was butter. Shaft is strong enough to lever out stubbornly rooted shrubs of up to medium size (for larger ones, get a San Angelo bar). Sharp enough to cut 1/2" roots. Great for making starter holes that you then finish with a traditional shovel. Highly recommended.

The entire shovel except for the handle is steel so it has great integrity with no flex. It has a nice heft which helps cut into hard or clay soil. I used it to dig a shallow, narrow trench to place edging stones and it worked great.

We rarely use our round-pointed shovel at all any more. This spade has the added benefit of dodging underground rocks because of its narrow blade. Makes for a lot easier digging. And of course, the whole idea is to be able to go deep - does the trick handily. Speaking of handle, nice grip, too. Same price on Amazon as in the local hardware store, but I didn't have to drive there.