Hoe, hoe, how?

[anneski]

I guess they don't come more basic than this! How do you use a hoe most efficiently? Do you slice the weeds from side to side with it, from behind and above them? Do you turn the hoe up the other way so that instead of the blade being a bridge arch, it's an underneath arch, and stab at them from the front?  ???

I know this might sound daft, but I also know that if you don't use the tools properly you can make your work twice as hard!  :-\


Also has anyone used one of those hot air weed wands between rows? They look like they could save a lot of back ache....

[anneski]

[Derekthefox]

You will get various answers to this I guess. You need to select what works for you.

I position the hoe fairly far away when standing up, so the blade is just biting into the soil. I then use a relaxed forward and back motion, similar to brushing, cutting the weeds and gently tilling the surface, working backwards as I go. Occasionally, at this time of year, the ground bakes hard, and then I will rotate the hoe as you have suggested, and it then digs in hard and breaks the surface.

Remember though, hoeing should feel relaxed, not arduous.

Good luck!

[wardy]

There are lots of different hoes.  I only have one and it's like a golf putter.  I've only just got it and my lotty mate has told me to pull it towards me rather than push away from me, but whatever suits you  :)

Happy hoeing  :)

[Trenchboy]

And the sharper it is the easier the hoeing is!

That's a job for the wetn'wild days.

[tim]

As said - gently does it.  And keep sharp. And preferably on a hot day so that the weeds shrivel. But it does depend upon which hoe you have. Each requires a different technique. Dutch, Draw, Swivel, Swoe etc.

For 'serious' work, a long handle is a help. And, after (I won't say how many years!!) I have found the Wolf Push-Pull hoe the easiest & safest to use. And easiest if you pull, rather than push. This also avoids chopping plants.

'Hot Wand' - I would say NO!! Very expensive & only for very small jobs. You can have mine!!

[anneski]

Ahhhh..... didn't know there was more than one type!  :o   Thanks very much for all your answers, I shall have to investigate properly then. I only tried hoeing the once, and was swishing from side to side, and I didn't seem to achieve anything to be honest, apart from make just between my shoulder blades sore!  :-\

[tim]

Swishing's a killer.

[wardy]

Ta for reminding me Tim.  Mine's a "swoe"  My OH bought it for me for our 25th  :)

[TEL]

Ive got a swoe  push or pull probably pull it gets closer to the plants without damage.