Digging up roots is a challenge, and not all shovels are created equally, especially when you have to complete this task.
For example, a square-headed shovel would perform very poorly if pressed into action with this kind of job.
Spade type shovels, on the other hand, will slice and dice through heavily rooted earth, getting the job done in a fraction of the time, with a fraction of the effort other shovels would have required.
Below we highlight our favorite options when it comes to the best shovels for digging up roots.
These are the kinds of shovels you’ll want to add to your tool collection as soon as possible.
Table of Contents
Best for digging up roots
Radius Garden Root Slayer Shovel
Perhaps the best shovel for digging up roots ever made.
This is an absolute powerhouse for digging deep into the earth, slicing and dicing roots, and then efficiently removing the root base without a lot of extra effort.
Thanks to its inverted tip, you don’t have to worry about the narrow design of this shovel splitting or breaking when it chews through bigger roots.
You’re going to be able to split thicker roots with the angled point in a way that would have been pretty tough with other shovels.
The serrations on the outer edges of the blade guarantee that you’re able to cut through the earth and any smaller roots, sawing back and forth as much as you need to.
Lightweight, super durable, and made out of high-quality construction, carbon steel materials throughout, this is a top-tier shovel for sure.
The O handle is ergonomic and oversized for easy grasping.
Precision root removal
Root Assassin Mini Garden Shovel
Root Assassin 60″ Long Handle
Whenever you have a shovel called the “Root Assassin,” you know you will be able to do some real damage.
A miniaturized version of its big brother by the same name, this 32-inch shovel is a little more compact, a little easier to handle, and perfect for lawn and garden applications.
If you need precision root removal, this is the way to go!
The Mini Garden Shovel weighs in at just 2.2 pounds, it also happens to be one of the lightest weight root removal shovels you’ll find on the market today. While it is a featherweight, that definitely doesn’t mean that it is fragile – not by a long shot.
Made out of high-quality construction materials, including stainless steel and plastics, you’ll have plenty of strength to get through any earth and roots you need to dig.
As the shovel is a bit on the smaller side of things, you will be sacrificing some leverage there.
If you need to dig up root balls, you will require more leverage, and will need to use a root shovel with a longer handle such as the minis 60″ long handle.
Best root busting and multipurpose
Fiskars 58 Inch Long-Handle Steel Digging Shovel
This company is responsible for making some of the very best lawn and garden tools money can buy, so it should come as no surprise to anyone that this shovel is as well-made and as well-engineered as it is.
Super durable, and highly resistant to wear and tear, this shovel’s underlying construction materials are reliable and resilient.
A protective coating is applied to keep this shovel looking pristine even if you dig in the dirt for roots every day of the year!
Manufactured from various steel gauges, 16 gauge on the shaft and 14 gauge on the blade, this shovel is up for pretty much anything.
The balance on this shovel is remarkable.
You won’t have any difficulty whatsoever moving earth with one hand or two, and while the scoop is a little bit on the larger side of things, that’s only going to give you more root busting power when you need it most.
Best root chopper
Bully Tools Round Point Shovel
A bit of a more traditional shovel, this particular option from Bully Tools uses modern construction materials, including triple wall fiberglass and stainless steel, to provide a lot of extra strength and durability that make this an excellent root chopper.
The triple wall fiberglass on the handle not only makes this shovel a lot lighter than options that use wood, but manufacturer tests also proved that this material is two or three times as strong as wood, preventing breaks and snaps that can be catastrophic.
The ferrule is oversized, meaning that you can double the pressure when digging and chopping roots. As this shovel can handle more stress, there is a significantly lower risk of the shovel popping or breaking on you for sure.
Reinforced I-beams that have been welded in add even more protection, making this a nearly bombproof root chopping shovel made 100% in the USA.
You’ll also be able to use this shovel to do traditional digging as well, making it the most versatile option on our list of the best shovels for digging up roots!
Our Number 1 Pick For Root Removal
Spear Head Spade Gardening Shovel
Engineered for extreme penetration and fantastic precision work, this is one of the narrowest root digging shovels available and an absolute beast!
It is incredibly efficient, and the spearhead at the end of this shovel will slice and dice through even the most robust roots without much trouble.
On top of that, the shovelhead design and its angle will guarantee that you get less deflection and keep the shovel true alignment.
Combine all of this with an oversized handle that is also super lightweight.
You will reduce the time you spend digging dramatically and the force required to quickly remove roots by anywhere between 70% and 90%.
The blade design makes this shovel specific to root busting and gardening.
There aren’t a lot of other options that do the job better.
