Some time ago there was talk of several people on the forum who were going to buy a Chillington Hoe.
Well, a few months on, how have you got on with it?
A couple of guys on our plot use them all the time and make it all look so easy but then they come from Countries where they use nothing else...
It's tempting
Derek
Quote from: Derek on August 08, 2005, 07:30:22
Some time ago there was talk of several people on the forum who were going to buy a Chillington Hoe.
Well, a few months on, how have you got on with it?
A couple of guys on our plot use them all the time and make it all look so easy but then they come from Countries where they use nothing else...
It's tempting
Derek
I ordered an Asian hoe, but it is yet to arrive, when it does I will let yo know how I find it.
Love mine, had it for about 8 years now. Great for breaking up heavy soil and seems easier on the back! ;D
I've had one for several years, I use it for any digging which doesn't involve getting deep roots out; I still prefer a fork for that, or a spade if the problem's extreme.
Here we go again with my (silly?) questions. What is a Chillington Hoe/ Any pics or descriptions please. I have got 4 hoes which were given to me by the family of my next door neighbour (sweet old lady) when she died. Lorna.
Not silly at all Lorna. Saved me having to ask the same thing!
;D I googled it ;D http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=chillington%20hoe&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=wi
THanks for that Derek. HAve to say I tried one of my neighbours and decided its far to dangerous for me - I'd have no crops left! I do like the three spiked thing of a similar shape though. A propogator someone told me used to break up all the clods and stuff.........
Icy thank God for that ;D Thanks Roy just going to do a bit of googling. My husband always called my dances (the grandchildren run in case I drag them on the floor) the chicken dance and I thought googling meant another kind of dance ;D ;D ;D ;D Lorna.
Quote from: Icyberjunkie on August 08, 2005, 12:49:13
I do like the three spiked thing of a similar shape though.  A propogator someone told me used to break up all the clods and stuff.........
a hand cultivator?!?!
Is that the same thing which is sometimes called an "adze"?
For those who don't know see:-
http://www.chillington.co.uk/index.html
I have several that came back from Africa with me. The best one I like is a spade and fork combined (at opposite ends). The wrist gets very deft at a quick twist;D ;D ;D
It can be bought in several sizes, and can be either a hand tool or long handled. Depends if the ants got to the handle or not. ;D ;D ;D
In the 'shambas' where I lived - East Africe - theses tools were almost all they had. Great tool, gets planting sweet potatoes, mealies etc. in no time at all.
Fantastic for global weeding.
I got mine from a tool company of the web - far cheaper than the gardening sites I looked on. I paid about £10.23 delivered which is good I reckon.
Wardy...where?? :)
I have the big heavy duty one and its great for breaking up heavy soil, however, I have never managed to get the head onto the handle properly and so it keeps slipping off. Is there a secret to fixing it on?
My one is an original from Sri lanka. it is a doddle to earth up spuds and dig trenches for them with. I got a hand held version form the pound shop and haven't used a trowel since. Best bargain ever.
Regarding the handle problem - my big one has come loose. I find that if you whack the pole on a paving slab it wedges back on. You can also do a strange kind of pogo manouvre and that does the same.too.
lol Baggy, that would be an interesting sight!
Ironmongers used to sell little iron wedges which would solve that sort of problem; it must still br possible to get them somewhere.
www.toolshopdirect.co.uk They've gone up! They're now £10.34 :o
Next time anyone ventures across the Channel, try Leroy Merlin, which is always next door to Auchan.
Paid 10.50 euros for the simple mattock style and 12 Euros for the two ended one, and that was last Friday.
There were all sorts of other tools there, but I was feeling hesitant about what they would be for.
My hoe arrived yesterday. I used it to dig out a bed and while it was definately quicker and less effort than a spade, it gave me back ache--which is what they are famed for not doing! I think my problem thouugh is that I am 6'5" and teh handle is a tad too short.
It made quick work of the nettles patch that is going under my new patio too, and dug a trench in record time.
I agree and I'm only 5'3" but it does chop stuff up well and you can use it to crush the sods if they're not too hard :)
Wardy,
I had a look on your link but could not find the chillington hoe.
Where is it?
Debs
Right! Found it Debs :) go to the web page (see below) then you can either put the product code in which is GT52 or it's under contractors' tools
Good hunting :) I searched for hoe and nothing came up but after a bit of searching found it ok
:)
I strongly recommend the chillington hoe/ mattock / whatever other local name.
I have a bad back and before I could only dig a small area at a time, now I can easily cover areas 20' X 10' without a tinge.
Also find myself using it for everything, planting, weeding earthing up etc.
Even invested in some linseed oil for it so it must be love.
Got mine from get-digging.co.uk about £25 but theyre solid agricultural ones from portugal I think.
Adrian
They are only just over a tenner delivered from Toolshop direct :)
Wardy,
I have just ordered myself one :)
Debs
Yes the tool shop direct one is the same kind of thing just less substantial, a good starting point to see if you like it .
I think once you get the technque these things are invaluable.
Quote from: plotofweeds on August 11, 2005, 11:45:30
Yes the tool shop direct one is the same kind of thing just less substantial, a good starting point to see if you like it .
I think once you get the technque these things are invaluable.
What is the 'technique' I found when digging it hurt my back. Maybe I need to get a longer handle, though I have no idea where to get one.
Hey hey Debs. It'll be delivered either by tomorrow I bet! My brother had a go with mine and he really liked it so he got one as well.
My old man is about 6' 2" and he says he could do with a longer handled one but it's good for me as I'm only 5'3" I would have though that longer handles could be got from the same place :)
I hope you get on with it ok Debs. Don't forget you can crush sods as well as hitting them with it (that's if they're not too dry) :) As I've a dodgy back I find it less painful to press down and crush the sods rather than lifting the hoe and hitting it. You devise all sorts of techniques when needs must :)
Quote from: wardy on August 11, 2005, 15:13:07
 Don't forget you can crush sods as well as hitting them with it (that's if they're not too dry) :)Â
Do you mean snails  ;D
Tee hee ;D
The day I posted my question I got seriously busy and have only just managed to get back to the forum.
Thank you for all your replies..I reckon I am going to go for one..I will go and see David, the Carribean chappie, on the lottie as he uses one all the time...see if I can get lessons.
Derek
Good for you :)
Please can I join the gang? Just ordered one - thanks for the link and the inspiration Wardy.
I have been using mine today, and I have to say I seem to have got away from the back strain, I have been letting the weight of the hoe do the work, and cutting in with one edge leading.
The soil I was moving today I couldn't get a spade into at all, so compacted was it.
Wardy,
I have plenty of sods I'd like to crush... ;D
wolf tools rock!
:)
Great stuff folks :) I can imagine you all smacking great big sods with ferocity, imagining it's your worst enemy taking a bashing. Good therapy ;D
I'll be gently pressing down on mine, apologising :) My back is awful at the mo so still no dig policy in force on Wardy Acres :)
It's arrived this morning and now I want to try it out, but must walk
dog and husband first ( or should that read "with" husband ;D )
Debs
Bag Lady
Re keeping the end on the handle of the Cillington
We had the same problem until we left the hoe out in the rain for a few days - the wood swelled and held the end in place!
Helen
Ordered my Hoe yesterday off the internet yesterday, thanks for the link Wardy......can't wait.
I popped down the lottie last evening and booked lessons on using the Chillington Hoe with my Carribean friend ;)
The point of this post is to say that some of the stuff he was growing looked superb and in many cases unusual....
He told me that he bought 'seed' from a shop in Highfields (a predominently Asian area of the City).. so much cheaper he said...E.G. four kilos of red beans for four quid???
Now there's a thought!
With my immediate lottie neighbour being a Spanish lady who also grows varieties brought from her home in Spain I can see my plot going distinctly cosmopolitan next season
Derek
That sounds good Derek :) Did you ever see that episode of GW when Monty visited a large lotty site in Birmingham and there were loads of nationalities growing on it. It was an inspirational programme and I think it's been repeated several times since. If it ever comes on again it's a must see.
I have an Indian chap gardening near me and he has a fab plot. He's been gone on his hols for weeks and his plot still looks great.. His plot seems lush all year round, even in the depths of winter, when everyone else's looks bleak. He grows lovely looking spinach all year and he's given me some seeds. He grows fenugreek and now I notice one or two of the English chaps are doing so and a lotty holder across the way from me has given me some seed so it's curry time :)
Quote from: Derek on August 17, 2005, 06:35:34
Ordered my Hoe yesterday off the internet yesterday, thanks for the link Wardy......can't wait.
I popped down the lottie last evening and booked lessons on using the Chillington Hoe with my Carribean friend ;)
The point of this post is to say that some of the stuff he was growing looked superb and in many cases unusual....
He told me that he bought 'seed' from a shop in Highfields (a predominently Asian area of the City).. so much cheaper he said...E.G. four kilos of red beans for four quid???
Now there's a thought!
With my immediate lottie neighbour being a Spanish lady who also grows varieties brought from her home in Spain I can see my plot going distinctly cosmopolitan next season
Derek
I dscovered my hoe is great for removing turf, I just get it under the edge and pull, it pulls the turf up but pulls tap roots and rhizomes out at the same time, rather than severing them as a spade does. It seems like harder work than using a spade until you realise you have done three times as much in teh same peiod of time.
I have South African and Spanish neighbours, they have wonderfully lush plots, and have made beautiful home made fences. They seem very resourceful and dedicated when compared to the weed and blight ridden plots of my British neigbours.