Hoes

We have many tools today to ease the labour of planting. A hoe tool is one of those. Gardeners use it to break up soil lumps, dig holes for planting, uproot weeds, and perform many more tasks. Like any other garden tool, this also comes in a wide assortment of options. Let us explore how to find the best and most appropriate one.

A hoe tool refers to a long-handled tool that comes attached with a thin metal blade. Gardeners use it to do soil work in general. You will often find it is a tough material to withstand outdoors. It is a versatile tool that has been in gardening for years. The primary functions of a garden hoe are to shape soil, harvest root crops, and remove weeds. Shaping the soil comprises piling soil, digging narrow furrows, and also, trenching to plant seeds. Depending on the appearances and purposes, they are classified into many types. Some are specific for single-function, whereas others can be used to do a range of things. On this page, we are going to explore many more things that will help you pick the best hoes for gardening.

Things you need to know about hoe tool

Hoe tool is one of the essential garden tools that has been in use for years. It is known for its toughness and versatility in performing a range of tasks. There are two main types of hoe tools you will find in the market, namely, draw hoe and scuffle hoe. A draw hoe contains the blade attached at the right angle with the handle. It helps you chop into the ground. Changing the angles help you dig deeper or shallower, depending upon your requirements. Scuffle hoe works on the surface of the soil and helps loosen the few centimetres from the top. There are many more types, including hand hoe, oscillating hoe, cotton hoe, pointe hoe and more. Many brands offer different kinds of hoes. So, it can be a bit overwhelming to choose one. Let us explore more in detail.

Types of garden hoes

It can be confusing to pick one out of so many hoe tools you find in the market. All of them may look the same at first sight but have different purposes. A paddle hoe is the most common type that gardeners use to pull, mound and shape soil. You will usually find it with a rectangular paddle set that sits at the right angle to the handle. Scuffle hoe, on the other hand, can be used in a back-and-forth motion. Collinear hoe is another kind that has been designed to work in narrow spaces. Warren hoe comes with a pointy end to reach tight spaces. Push hoe is the next comes that comes under the flat hoes category. Similarly, there are many more designs and types one can choose from. However, choosing an appropriate one as per the purpose is a must.

Uses of hand hoes

Hoe tools are one of the best-known tools for the removal of weeds, digging trenches and shaping soil. If you use it specifically for weeding, then it makes several tasks easy, like cutting foliage roots and clearing soil for crop residues. Since it’s a long tool, you do not have to bend your back and knee too much and hence, lesser efforts are required. It becomes important for a gardener to have a hoe tool during spring when weeds start germinating. Eliminating the annual weed tops, working between plants, and grooming the soil in the area of shallow-rooted plants are some of the uses of a hoe tool. The other applications include preparing the garden, preparing flowerbeds, forming shallow trenches and much more.

Easy ways to use garden hoes

There are different ways of using a hoe depending upon the intent of use. If you are using it for weeding, then you should start withholding the hoe like a broom. Angle it in a way that the blade tip enters the soil lying just below the surface. With a broad sweeping motion, one needs to slice off the top of the weeds. To make furrows, you need to keep the hoe handle’s tip down the row and create a shallow furrow for plants such as turnips, radishes, and lettuce. If you want to create a bit deeper furrow for seeds like corn, beans, and squash, you need to use the corner of the blade. In all, it is a versatile tool that you can use for a range of purposes.