Broadfork vs. Garden Fork: What’s the Difference?
The terms broadfork and garden fork are sometimes used loosely, but the tools are built for different scales of work.
A broadfork covers more bed
A broadfork is designed to loosen a wider section of soil with each pass. The GOAT™ is 26.5 inches wide with five tines spaced 6 inches apart. The Billy GOAT™ Broad Fork is 19.5 inches wide with four tines at 6-inch spacing.
That wider footprint makes a broadfork efficient for working down a permanent bed.
A garden fork can work more intensively in a smaller area
The Billy GOAT™ Garden Fork is 14 inches wide with four tines spaced 3.5 inches apart. That tighter spacing makes it useful for smaller beds, restricted spaces, and more intensive loosening.
What about root crops?
The Billy GOAT™ Root Fork is also 14 inches wide, but it uses six tines spaced 2.3 inches apart. The closer spacing is intended for harvesting carrots, parsnips, and other root crops while also providing intensive soil aeration.
Which should you choose?
- Full-width market-garden bed aeration: use a broadfork.
- Tighter spaces or more intensive loosening: use a garden fork.
- Root-crop harvesting: use a root fork.
If you are deciding among the whole family, see our broadfork and fork selection guide.