The broadfork breaks up packed soil to help aeration, aid drainage and promote growth. It has a dozen metal tines about 10 inches long – like a thick, heavy pitchfork.
You step on it to push the tines into the ground, then move it back and forth to loosen up the ground. This limited movement doesn’t mix the soil levels, leaving the soil layers undisturbed, and unmixed.
And this does not drive weed seeds into the soil to sprout later in the season.
A broadfork, also called a U-fork, is good for gardens and flower beds, up to an acre or two.