Topic: a mattock male/femail question

[gwynnethmary]

I have a very weedy corner(marestail, couch, bindweed) complete with two tree stumps and stony compacted soil containing lots of rubbish.  I am liking the sound of a mattock, but, to be honest, it looks like it needs to be wielded by a hefty pair of arms, usually of the type to be found on the male of the species. Would a nice stone femail, height 5ft 3ins., with a bit of a dodgy back due to reconstructive surgery, be able to manage it?

[ACE]

No

[gwynnethmary]

Thank you for your prompt reply- and of course I meant nine, not nice stone!  Stones are not nice at all!  Maybe it could be a Christmas present for my husband!

[SMP1704]

Apart from the surgery we could be twins :D I perhaps have an unfair advantage in that I have a sometimes helpful 16 yr old son.......

I have never got the hang of the mattock swing, so do most tough stuff with a spade.  Now this depends on how large the tree stumps are, but if we are talking about something less than 5 years old you can dig it out and then cut or saw the roots - this will be a big hole.

With regard to the trio of evil weeds I would be inclined to say a prayer to the organic gods and then use Round-up or something similar (but not until the weeds are actively growing)  The super concentrate Round-up will work on Marestail - applying the same 'life's too short' work ethic, I might put raised beds on the stony/rubbishy area - first getting out as much rubbish as possible.

That's not really answered your question tho :-[

[Sholls]

Well, I'm a 5'3'' female & I've managed to wield one with great success. I don't have a dodgy back, but physically I'm nowhere near as fit as I was 18 months ago. (Nasty car crash, pins put in legs, months sat on the sofa etc...). If you can bend at the waist, even if only partially, it should be worth a try.  

[Phil G]

A mattock is a great tool that takes a lot of practice to use efficiently and effectively. If it's a one-off job then you'll probably find it more of a hinderance and won't get much benefit from it. If you do use one, make sure you wear safety boots and, at least for the first job, shin guards. The trick is to let gravity do the work. Wield it like a pick axe, keeping one hand on the end of the shaft and allowing the other hand to slide up the shaft as it drops.

[grannyjanny]

Can't praise the mattock enough. ME, fibromyalgia, spinal arthritis & dodgy back. I used it to clear unworked areas that a spade & fork couldn't penetrate, mounds of weeds that had been appearing over years & a compost area that was built on concrete. Used it to remove flags as well. We dug 150 bags of 4 year old FYM with it too. A friend brought ours back from Portugal for us, it cost 5.50 euros.

[Baccy Man]

I think a mattock (grubbing, pick, english clay, or chisel) would usually be unsuitable for someone with a dodgy back but an azada may be a possibility. They are used in a very different way which puts less strain on your back & there are several types each suited to different jobs many of which will do most jobs you may want to use a mattock for.
http://www.get-digging.co.uk/tools.htm

[ACE]

You are not helping the lady at all, bad back, inexperience, lack of training, Just give it a quick risk assesment. She will not be doing herself any favours.

It is a fantastic tool in the right hands, but a liabilty in the wrong hands. Also she wanted written proof to show her husband it is his job, so come on, help the lady out. ;)

[gwynnethmary]

Thanks ACE- I've shown him!

[landimad]

With a back like yours, I would confine you to doing what you are able not what you want to do.
My OH is not good with wielding tools around the garden so she leaves me to do that.
She confines herself to prettying up the place and gathering the crops.
If there is something that needs doing then as her partner it is only right that I should step in or get assistance to undertake the task.
As ACE states, risk assess before you do any task then you will save a lot of heart ache from what might have been prevented in the first place.
Hind sight is a wonderful thing, but in all cases you should be prepared.
Take it easy and allow others to help you enjoy what is a rewarding hobby, pasttime, or work to some.

[1066]

Yup buy your husband the mattock for XMAS - you could even wrap it up for him  ;D . And for yourself look into getting an Azada - as GrannyJanny and others have mentioned - smaller, not as heavy and useful around the plot. I'm a 5ft + girlie with a dodgy back (at times) and am a bit wary of using a mattock, but can and do (very satisfying to grub stuff up!) but for heavy stuff I shout for help - and the trees sound like heavy going work to me

Anyway good luck

1066

[lewic]

Mattocks are very heavy, and its easy to cause injury if you arent strong enough to aim it properly.  I have one but dont use it much as its such hard work.

I use an Azada for chopping up the soil after I've dug it, but have not found it that good for digging. And it hurts my back just as much as a normal spade/fork, just in a different place!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've had ME for years and have no difficulty in putting a mattock where I want it, and doing a lot of damage. It doesn't take much strength, but do aim well away from your feet!

[pigeonseed]

Well if your OH is willing to do it then that's great!

But if you would like to do some as well, I can say that I've got a bad back, and have found an azada very good for clearing my new plot.

It's sharp, and just se its weight dropping down chops up heavy ground, cuts through couch grass clumps and bramble roots. And you can lean, using your body weight to lever stuff up.

It's been easier than using a fork, which is how I used to do it. I can do more in short bursts than I could have done, and it's much better on compacted ground or heavy duty bramble roots.

Maybe you could borrow one and try it out, if you think you're a good judge of what you can and can't do without hurting your back.

Or leave it to someone else!! :)