Shoving Wet Sticky Clay

It's best not to plant in wet soil because the edges of the hole become sealed, and shoving wet sticky clay dirt can be very difficult.  But if you find it necessary - by putting a bit of bees wax or car wax on the shovel's blade the clay won’t stick as badly.  I'm told this works well for snow shovels too. A hair dryer can make this easier to do.

Where to get bees wax?   I save the bees wax from the Gouda Cheese I eat.  It helps old drawers slide better too.

I've been taught to wipe my shoves with mineral oil after filing a sharp edge.  This will also keep your shovels in tip top shape and prevent the surface from rusting but I have not found it to help with sticky clay.