Smart Ways To Use A Trenching Tool To Make Gardening Easier

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When it comes to gardening, hacks abound to give you an instant green thumb, with tips and tricks all promising to make the hobby easier, more efficient, and more successful. Sometimes, just having the right tool is key, and one item to definitely add to your garden tool shed is a trenching tool. "A trenching tool is a sturdy, narrow-bladed shovel or hoe designed for digging precise trenches in the soil," Katie and Hugh Finlay, the creators of Grow Great Fruit, told House Digest in an exclusive chat.

Trenching systems can help with everything from growing better tomatoes to aiding drainage and enriching soil. But trenching shovels can be used for a lot more than what their name implies. Hugh and Katie explained that the tool "often features a long handle for leverage and a pointed or slightly curved blade to cut through compacted earth with ease." Trenching tools are affordable and you can find them easily in garden and hardware stores (and even on Amazon, like the Corona Trench Shovel). When you're shopping for a trenching tool, our experts advised, "Look for one with a comfortable grip and a durable steel blade to handle tough soil conditions." 

Once you add a trenching tool to your collection, you'll find yourself reaching for it again and again. Katie and Hugh Finlay exclusively shared with House Digest some of the top ways they use trenching tools. One job they always use a trenching shovel for is digging swales. "Swales help capture rainwater and prevent runoff, directing moisture toward fruit tree roots," they explained. "Use a trenching tool to carve a narrow trench along the contour of your orchard, then fill it with mulch or organic matter to retain moisture." Similarly, Hugh and Katie also use their trenching tool to install subsurface irrigation systems by digging a narrow trench to lay pipes precisely where they're needed. "This saves the bother of having to dig and deep and wide trench with a shovel," they said. 

Beyond irrigation, grab your trenching shovel any time you need to interplant beneficial companion plants, such as those that will help your apple trees thrive. "Interplanting deep-rooted herbs and nitrogen-fixing plants near fruit trees can improve soil health and attract pollinators," Katie and Hugh explained. "Use a trenching tool to dig long, narrow planting rows for dynamic accumulators like comfrey, which help cycle nutrients back into the soil." Trenching tools come in handy for trench composting too, whereby gardeners bury compost in a narrow trench to feed the soil. Our experts also recommend using a trenching shovel to make precise cuts when root pruning to prevent the root system from encroaching on neighboring plants. "Dig a shallow trench around part of the root zone to selectively prune without harming the tree," they advised.

In their exclusive chat with House Digest, Hugh and Katie also shared their expert tips for how to best use trenching tools. First things first — optimize soil conditions. "Work with moist soil," they advised. "Digging is easier when the soil is slightly damp but not overly wet." They said the best time for your trenching tool tasks is after a light rain. When you're up against tougher soil, use the tool's leverage to your advantage, and step (or stomp) firmly on the shovel blade to drive it into the ground. They also explained that angling the blade will make for cleaner cuts: "When trenching near tree roots, hold the tool at a slight angle to slice rather than tear through the soil, minimizing damage."

When using a trenching tool for actual trenches, Hugh and Katie say that trenches and mulching make the perfect pairing. "After digging a trench, refill it with mulch or compost to suppress weeds, retain moisture, and enrich the soil," they advised. From irrigation to nutrition to pruning, Katie and Hugh say that a trenching shovel will pay off handsomely in your garden. "A trenching tool is a simple but powerful ally in a regenerative fruit tree system," they said. "By using it strategically, you can improve water retention, boost soil fertility, and support long-term orchard health — without resorting to synthetic inputs."