We hear a lot about weeding but nothing about hoeing.
My favourite hoe is a "Stirrup" hoe, for those that don't know it
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...StirrupHoe.jpg
This tool makes weeding a little less of a chore. The stirrup-shaped
blade swivels back and forth like the hips of a hula dancer (hence the
name), slicing weed roots below the soil line. Because it’s a
long-handled tool, you can cut out weeds while standing, which is a huge
back saver. And the blade oscillates back and forth, so it works both
when you pull it toward you and when you push it away, making it easy to
maneuver in tight spaces between plants.
David @ the wet, wet, wet end of Swansea Bay

Interesting the different approach. I've never got on with a hoe, and I think maybe having stony sticky clay soil is part of it - certainly running it along just below the soil surface doesn't work.

I prefer doing my gardening sitting down, so inching along on my knees with a test match on the radio suits me fine. And I get the added bonus of the chance of a good look at anything that's growing, and the ability to save anything interesting.

On Fri, 17 Aug 2012 22:51:42 +0100, David Hill
wrote:

We hear a lot about weeding but nothing about hoeing.
My favourite hoe is a "Stirrup" hoe, for those that don't know it
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...StirrupHoe.jpg
This tool makes weeding a little less of a chore. The stirrup-shaped
blade swivels back and forth like the hips of a hula dancer (hence the
name), slicing weed roots below the soil line. Because it’s a
long-handled tool, you can cut out weeds while standing, which is a huge
back saver. And the blade oscillates back and forth, so it works both
when you pull it toward you and when you push it away, making it easy to
maneuver in tight spaces between plants.
David @ the wet, wet, wet end of Swansea Bay

It's been hand weeding all this year (fortunately not much of that) as
the ground's been too wet to hoe.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East End of Swansea Bay where sometimes
it's raining and sometimes it's not.

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 08:20:07 +0000, kay
wrote:


David Hill;966866 Wrote:
We hear a lot about weeding but nothing about hoeing.
My favourite hoe is a "Stirrup" hoe, for those that don't know it
http://tinyurl.com/cqsyrvc
This tool makes weeding a little less of a chore. The stirrup-shaped
blade swivels back and forth like the hips of a hula dancer (hence the
name), slicing weed roots below the soil line. Because it’s a
long-handled tool, you can cut out weeds while standing, which is a huge

back saver. And the blade oscillates back and forth, so it works both
when you pull it toward you and when you push it away, making it easy to

maneuver in tight spaces between plants.


Interesting the different approach. I've never got on with a hoe, and I
think maybe having stony sticky clay soil is part of it - certainly
running it along just below the soil surface doesn't work.

I prefer doing my gardening sitting down, so inching along on my knees
with a test match on the radio suits me fine. And I get the added bonus
of the chance of a good look at anything that's growing, and the ability
to save anything interesting.

With my poor sight I have to get down close and would not be without
my Kirpi weeder. (Organic Gardening catalogue)

Pam in Bristol

On 18/08/2012 09:20, kay wrote:
David Hill;966866 Wrote:
We hear a lot about weeding but nothing about hoeing.
My favourite hoe is a "Stirrup" hoe, for those that don't know it
http://tinyurl.com/cqsyrvc
This tool makes weeding a little less of a chore. The stirrup-shaped
blade swivels back and forth like the hips of a hula dancer (hence the
name), slicing weed roots below the soil line. Because it’s a
long-handled tool, you can cut out weeds while standing, which is a huge

back saver. And the blade oscillates back and forth, so it works both
when you pull it toward you and when you push it away, making it easy to

maneuver in tight spaces between plants.


Interesting the different approach. I've never got on with a hoe, and I
think maybe having stony sticky clay soil is part of it - certainly
running it along just below the soil surface doesn't work.

+1

I don't think a hoe for use on clay soil has yet been invented. If it's
dry the hoe bounces over the top; if it's wet, it just collects a
claggy, sticky mess that pushes weed shoots aside instead of cutting them.

--

Jeff

On 18/08/2012 13:42, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 08:20:07 +0000, kay
wrote:


David Hill;966866 Wrote:
We hear a lot about weeding but nothing about hoeing.
My favourite hoe is a "Stirrup" hoe, for those that don't know it
http://tinyurl.com/cqsyrvc
This tool makes weeding a little less of a chore. The stirrup-shaped
blade swivels back and forth like the hips of a hula dancer (hence the
name), slicing weed roots below the soil line. Because it’s a
long-handled tool, you can cut out weeds while standing, which is a huge

back saver. And the blade oscillates back and forth, so it works both
when you pull it toward you and when you push it away, making it easy to

maneuver in tight spaces between plants.


Interesting the different approach. I've never got on with a hoe, and I
think maybe having stony sticky clay soil is part of it - certainly
running it along just below the soil surface doesn't work.

Oh I do so agree! IMO hoeing (?SP) is a waste of time. Even when I use
a sharpened hoe blade run just below the soil surface, it seldom seems
to cut the weeds off as everyone says it's supposed to, it just
uproots them. Then, a shower or two later, they spring up fresh as
daisies and you're back where you started. It might work in a blazing
hot dry summer when the uprooted weeds burn up quickly, but we haven't
had one of those for a long while.

I prefer doing my gardening sitting down, so inching along on my knees
with a test match on the radio suits me fine. And I get the added bonus
of the chance of a good look at anything that's growing, and the ability
to save anything interesting.

I have a small hand-hoe, narrow blade (about 3"), short handle like a
trowel, that I hoe with from a squatting position (knees still free
from arthritis, thank goodness). I gather the uprooted weeds as I go
and put them on the compost heap. My dictum is that if it isn't there,
it can't re-grow.

For those that want to be close to their weeds/plants as they hoe then
there is always the "Onion hoe"
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ion-Hoe-A1.jpg
Many available at various prices, what you want to make sure is that the
blade is flat on the ground when the handle is at 45degrees to the ground.
We used to use these for singling lettuce seedlings after hoening and
cross hoeing with a motor hoe, this left us small blocke of 3 or 4
sedings, and we hoed to leave just 1.
Also for weeding in the crop later.
To save your back you rest one hand on your knee as you are bent over.
we would be hoeing for 3 or 4 hours a day in season.
David @ a sunny end of Swansea Bay.

"David Hill" wrote ...

We hear a lot about weeding but nothing about hoeing.
My favourite hoe is a "Stirrup" hoe, for those that don't know it
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...StirrupHoe.jpg
This tool makes weeding a little less of a chore. The stirrup-shaped blade
swivels back and forth like the hips of a hula dancer (hence the name),
slicing weed roots below the soil line. Because it’s a long-handled tool,
you can cut out weeds while standing, which is a huge back saver. And the
blade oscillates back and forth, so it works both when you pull it toward
you and when you push it away, making it easy to maneuver in tight spaces
between plants.


It's the first thing I do when we go down the plot, spend 10 mins or so with
my Wolf push pull weeder (hoe) running around the plot.
http://www.wolf-garten.co.uk/index.p...productdb_pi13[showUid]=1418&cHash=8e36d77da3

We garden on Thames silt/clay and I find this hoe, the smaller of the two
they make, works well. The secret is to never let the top of the soil set
hard but to use the hoe often to ensure you always have an inch or so of
loose soil which when it's hot and dry, like now, ensures weed seeds don't
germinate.

They also do the sort of hoe David likes and again you can get the handle
that suits your height...
http://www.wolf-garten.co.uk/index.p...productdb_pi13[showUid]=1408&cHash=d9837aaf62

--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 18/08/2012 15:07, Martin wrote:
On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 14:48:25 +0100, David Hill
wrote:

On 18/08/2012 13:42, Chris Hogg wrote:
snip

I have a small hand-hoe, narrow blade (about 3"), short handle like a
trowel, that I hoe with from a squatting position (knees still free
from arthritis, thank goodness). I gather the uprooted weeds as I go
and put them on the compost heap. My dictum is that if it isn't there,
it can't re-grow.




For those that want to be close to their weeds/plants as they hoe then
there is always the "Onion hoe"
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ion-Hoe-A1.jpg

Also called a swan necked hoe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbV9BvkZosM


A swan necked hoe is the name that was normally given to the long
handled version.
http://www.chillingtontoolsonline.co...-neck-hoe-p103
And before any else says it.
Yes the Dutch hoe is the one that is always clogging.
David @ what is now a hot and very sticky end of Swansea Bay.

On 18/08/2012 15:16, Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Hill" wrote ...

We hear a lot about weeding but nothing about hoeing.
My favourite hoe is a "Stirrup" hoe, for those that don't know it
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...StirrupHoe.jpg
This tool makes weeding a little less of a chore. The stirrup-shaped
blade swivels back and forth like the hips of a hula dancer (hence the
name), slicing weed roots below the soil line. Because it’s a
long-handled tool, you can cut out weeds while standing, which is a
huge back saver. And the blade oscillates back and forth, so it works
both when you pull it toward you and when you push it away, making it
easy to maneuver in tight spaces between plants.


It's the first thing I do when we go down the plot, spend 10 mins or so
with my Wolf push pull weeder (hoe) running around the plot.
http://www.wolf-garten.co.uk/index.p...productdb_pi13[showUid]=1418&cHash=8e36d77da3


We garden on Thames silt/clay and I find this hoe, the smaller of the
two they make, works well. The secret is to never let the top of the
soil set hard but to use the hoe often to ensure you always have an inch
or so of loose soil which when it's hot and dry, like now, ensures weed
seeds don't germinate.

They also do the sort of hoe David likes and again you can get the
handle that suits your height...
http://www.wolf-garten.co.uk/index.p...productdb_pi13[showUid]=1408&cHash=d9837aaf62


What people seem to have forgotten that hoeing not only gets rid of
weeds, but if you can keep a fine tilth on the surface of your soil you
also cut down on water loss as you have prevented evaporation by
capillary action.
This was well understood in the old days before hose pipes, when all
water was carried by hand.

Ah well, I can't remember the last time I had to water the soil. Certainly not in the last 6 years.

"David Hill" wrote ...

Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Hill" wrote ...

We hear a lot about weeding but nothing about hoeing.
My favourite hoe is a "Stirrup" hoe, for those that don't know it
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...StirrupHoe.jpg
This tool makes weeding a little less of a chore. The stirrup-shaped
blade swivels back and forth like the hips of a hula dancer (hence the
name), slicing weed roots below the soil line. Because it’s a
long-handled tool, you can cut out weeds while standing, which is a
huge back saver. And the blade oscillates back and forth, so it works
both when you pull it toward you and when you push it away, making it
easy to maneuver in tight spaces between plants.


It's the first thing I do when we go down the plot, spend 10 mins or so
with my Wolf push pull weeder (hoe) running around the plot.
http://www.wolf-garten.co.uk/index.p...productdb_pi13[showUid]=1418&cHash=8e36d77da3


We garden on Thames silt/clay and I find this hoe, the smaller of the
two they make, works well. The secret is to never let the top of the
soil set hard but to use the hoe often to ensure you always have an inch
or so of loose soil which when it's hot and dry, like now, ensures weed
seeds don't germinate.

They also do the sort of hoe David likes and again you can get the
handle that suits your height...
http://www.wolf-garten.co.uk/index.p...productdb_pi13[showUid]=1408&cHash=d9837aaf62


What people seem to have forgotten that hoeing not only gets rid of weeds,
but if you can keep a fine tilth on the surface of your soil you also cut
down on water loss as you have prevented evaporation by capillary action.
This was well understood in the old days before hose pipes, when all water
was carried by hand.

Still is on some allotment sites, like ours!
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Sat, 18 Aug 2012 18:39:28 +0200, Martin wrote:

Snip


A swan necked hoe is the name that was normally given to the long
handled version.

Apparently not, there are both short and long handled hoes here called
swan necked
URL:http://www.google.nl/search?num=10&h...an+Ne ck+Hoe+

http://www.chillingtontoolsonline.co...-neck-hoe-p103
And before any else says it.
Yes the Dutch hoe is the one that is always clogging.

but not in Holland where the ground is sandy. In the Harlemermeer
polder where the ground is clay perhaps.

Martin, maybe David meant " the Dutch hoe is the one that is always
clog-ging"?

Gardening on Wilts/Somerset border
on slightly alkaline clay.