Hoe money, Hoe problems

[vixylix]

Hi all,

I was thinking about 'treating' myself to a hoe (as you do) - but I've got totally confused with the variety of hoes on offer! I've looked at draw hoes, dutch hoes (I've discounted onion hoes) and those ones which are half hoe and half cultivator.

I only want it for weeding and maybe drawing out a trench - can someone please provide some hoe guidance?

Thanks

[1Bee]

Hoe, Hoe, Hoe....

I'm not much use to you as I only have a dutch hoe, which I use for both those purposes. If I'm honest it's not that handy for drawing out a trench, but that might be because my soil is so lumpy!

[MarkPelican]

The best hoe I've found is a swiss hoe. Its like a stirrup hoe but pivots so that it cuts just under the soil in both directions (forwards and backwhards). I bought one last year and love it. It creates a "dust mulch" as you go which means less watering.

[Greenleaves]

Hi Vixylix

Glad to see it want an advert

I prefer Dutch for weeding but a draw hoe for planting, that said you will probably get more use out of a Dutch hoe

[Snoop Puss]

I use a Chillington hoe. I have a Dutch hoe too, but I use the Chillington far more. Brilliant for earthing up potatoes. And the hoe itself is quite narrow, so great for weeding round even onions with a bit of care.

[1Bee]

*gardeners everywhere, feverishly googling 'Chillington hoe'.....*

[Thelma Sanders]

Hoe, Hoe, Hoe....

I'm not much use to you as I only have a dutch hoe, which I use for both those purposes. If I'm honest it's not that handy for drawing out a trench

Same here! Draw hoe has been on my wish list for ages, but has still not arrived

[Jay-ell]

How a bout a Swoe?

I have a digging how (like a chillington hoe) which is for really moving the earth and three Dutch Hoes (one of which I prefer, another my mother prefers), a Swoe and I had a draw hoe but think I set fire to that a couple of years ago

I've also for an onion hoe and was looking at razor hoes.

[vixylix]

Well thanks all, but now you've just given me extra options! Maybe I should have had a poll

Jay, sounds like you have more hoes than you do onions!

[vixylix]

Well that escalated - I got a dutch hoe, a digging hoe and a mini mattock. How sad is it that I'm really excited?!

[Jay-ell]

Well thanks all, but now you've just given me extra options! Maybe I should have had a poll

Jay, sounds like you have more hoes than you do onions!

Friends and family find poor abandoned gardening tools lying neglected in the back of the garage or the corner of the shed and I have to give them a home

The digging hoe is great if you're digging trenches, planting fruit trees or skimming off couch grass and lifting buried carpets. The Swoe was £2.75 and was calling to me. The others are rescue hoes.

I've about 5 spades/shovels, 2 digging forks, 4 rakes 2 sledge hammers, 1 pickaxe, several axes, billhook, long chopping knife and one of those folding shovels used when camping. Some are used more often. I rarely use the trowel or hand fork as I prefer my huri huri (digging knife) and the long handled hand fork only gets used by my mum on occasions. The crowbars come in handy though - as do the bolt cutters.

[vixylix]

I like the sound of all these options Jay - but we have no shed or garage and very little storage!

[Jay-ell]

For weeding the Dutch hoe or swoe are easy to use. I also use the swoe or one of the simplest hoes (like a Dutch hoe but only one arm attaching the handle to the blade in the middle) on it's side (90 degrees to the usual hoeing angle) running along the rake handle to make my seed drills. Bit are good at this and push the soil to the side a bit like a plow.

You could look round car boot sales and see if they have any that you would be comfortable using (on one of mine the handle is too fat for me but it's the one my mum likes to use so it's down to personal choice).

[damian1225]

Well that escalated - I got a dutch hoe, a digging hoe and a mini mattock. How sad is it that I'm really excited?!

So now you have 99 problems but a hoe aint one! LOL

[Berr]

I know that this has almost certainly no relevance here but I feel compelled to gripe. My problem with hoes is not so much the head-shape but the length of the shafts: they're never long enough to enable me to use them without killing my back. No, I'm not 7 feet tall- almost, but not quite, 6 feet. I have to get extensions fitted. Am I alone in this?