Garden Hoes

[NoTrespassing]

My wife and I are determined to stay ahead of the weeds in our garden this year. Last year was a disaster and they completely took over. (she was working weekends) We have a couple cheap hoes from box stores but they are junk and won't hold an edge because of the cheap steel they're made out of. My first thought was to find estate auctions and buy some 40-50 year old gardening hand tools but that's not as easy as I thought. Estate auctions aren't as common as they once were it seems.

After scouring the internet I came across a few companies making what seem to be quality tools.

https://roguehoe.com/gardening/h-7-inch-blade/p/AF700

https://www.amleo.com/leonard-field-hoe-wit

Hand Forged Long Handle Tools, Best Tool EVER, Hoe, Ames | Homestead Iron, Hand Forged Garden Tools. WE DIG DIRT!

Long handle, Ash handle, Hand Forged Tool, Hand Forged Garden Tool, Long Handle Hoe, Hoe, Best Tool, Cotton Hoe, Traditional Tools, Heritage Tools, Old Hoes, Strawberry Hoe

homesteadiron.com

Does anyone have a recommendation?

 

[bcp]

I found most of my forged, not welded, garden tools at rural yard sales.

Bruce

 

[MossRoad]

I'm still using the hoes I got from my parents, who got them from their parents.

I'd check flea markets/antique malls, etc. I see stuff like that pretty often.

 

[rgr33]

I know what you are talking about, I have an old Ames hoe that has a thin, sharp blade that really cuts through the soil.

I also have three of the crappy chinese Razorbacks that replaced the Ames ( got cheap or free) that are more like weed clubs than hoes. Won’t hold an edge and the blades are too thick.

Probably best to grit your teeth and upgrade to a higher priced, higher quality hoe you won’t find in your local stores

 

[scootr]

I thought this was going to be a 'garden girls' thread....

 

[kenmbz]

How big is the garden?
I use a hula hoe for smaller areas where the soil is not too compacted.

 

[ruffdog]

Neighbor woman had a "stirrup" hoe she was using and it worked great. I bought 2 and got one for the parents.

https://www.ames.com/product/cultivators-and-hoes/2825800-wood-handle-action-hoe/

edit: The ones I bought:

Scuffle Hoe, 6" x 4" Head, 54" Hardwood Handle

Scuffle Hoe, 6" x 4" Head, 54" Hardwood Handle

seymourmidwest.com

 

[JJT]

I use a long handled 5 tined claw, my wife uses a standard hoe. I hear you on the garden getting out of control. I try to weed 20 minutes a day, every day, to stay on top of the weeds My wife prefers to do the weeding once a week for several hours. We trade off, I'm on this week, she's on duty next week.

 

[sea2summit]

My wife and I are determined to stay ahead of the weeds in our garden this year. Last year was a disaster and they completely took over. (she was working weekends) We have a couple cheap hoes from box stores but they are junk and won't hold an edge because of the cheap steel they're made out of. My first thought was to find estate auctions and buy some 40-50 year old gardening hand tools but that's not as easy as I thought. Estate auctions aren't as common as they once were it seems.

After scouring the internet I came across a few companies making what seem to be quality tools.

https://roguehoe.com/gardening/h-7-inch-blade/p/AF700

https://www.amleo.com/leonard-field-hoe-wit

Hand Forged Long Handle Tools, Best Tool EVER, Hoe, Ames | Homestead Iron, Hand Forged Garden Tools. WE DIG DIRT!

Long handle, Ash handle, Hand Forged Tool, Hand Forged Garden Tool, Long Handle Hoe, Hoe, Best Tool, Cotton Hoe, Traditional Tools, Heritage Tools, Old Hoes, Strawberry Hoe

homesteadiron.com

Does anyone have a recommendation?

I've got several rouge hoes and am very pleased with them. Between the construction and quailty of the handles I'd say their the best on the market right now. Wish they would figure out a way to make a shovel to the same standards! I did scrape and treat with linseed oil, I rub the heads down with used motor oil a few times a year otherwise no maint and I'm at eight years on my first rouge hoe.

 

[NoTrespassing]

It's a big garden, we have 30 tomato plants, about 20 pepper plants, and my wife has her Filipino plants. We've been in the garden every evening for about an hour or so. My 11 year old hates it as much as I did when I was his age

 

[3Ts]

If you have a welder, run a bead of hardsurfacing across the edge of the hoe. Use a grinder to shape the edge properly and it should last a lot longer.

 

[2manyrocks]

Neighbor woman had a "stirrup" hoe she was using and it worked great. I bought 2 and got one for the parents.

https://www.ames.com/product/cultivators-and-hoes/2825800-wood-handle-action-hoe/

That's what I use. I just accept that I will have to brush the dirt off and file the edge every so often. Still, much easier than the traditional hoe that my Mother used in her garden. The one she used was indestructible, but had a edge worn dull from eons of use.

 

[jaxs]

That's what I use. I just accept that I will have to brush the dirt off and file the edge every so often. Still, much easier than the traditional hoe that my Mother used in her garden. The one she used was indestructible, but had a edge worn dull from eons of use.

You have to buy a good file and sharpen the hoe occasionally. Before pre-emerge when fields were hand weeded,hoes were "sweetened" after every round where rows were long but at least a dozen times per day. Same as sharpening knives, there's an art to keeping hoes sharp. For the benifit of those unfamiliar with quality hoes, if the blade and sleeve for handle is a single piece,that's a goodun. I have 8 or ten,some with and some needing handles that will likely go in trash when i'm gone.

 

[Yander]

How big is the garden?
I use a hula hoe for smaller areas where the soil is not too compacted.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Neighbor woman had a "stirrup" hoe she was using and it worked great. I bought 2 and got one for the parents.

https://www.ames.com/product/cultivators-and-hoes/2825800-wood-handle-action-hoe/

edit: The ones I bought:

Scuffle Hoe, 6" x 4" Head, 54" Hardwood Handle

Scuffle Hoe, 6" x 4" Head, 54" Hardwood Handle

seymourmidwest.com

I'm thinking that's the b st hoe around. I was way up in Canada and came across an old guy, didn't drive anymore. He had 11 greenhouses, probably 100 yards long. Used one of them hoes and said he could get 4 acres a day. His wife drove. He had a sxs he got around on.

 

[jaxs]

How big is the garden?
I use a hula hoe for smaller areas where the soil is not too compacted.

Neighbor woman had a "stirrup" hoe she was using and it worked great. I bought 2 and got one for the parents.

https://www.ames.com/product/cultivators-and-hoes/2825800-wood-handle-action-hoe/

edit: The ones I bought:

Scuffle Hoe, 6" x 4" Head, 54" Hardwood Handle

Scuffle Hoe, 6" x 4" Head, 54" Hardwood Handle

seymourmidwest.com

That's what I use. I just accept that I will have to brush the dirt off and file the edge every so often. Still, much easier than the traditional hoe that my Mother used in her garden. The one she used was indestructible, but had a edge worn dull from eons of use.

I'm thinking that's the b st hoe around. I was way up in Canada and came across an old guy, didn't drive anymore. He had 11 greenhouses, probably 100 yards long. Used one of them hoes and said he could get 4 acres a day. His wife drove. He had a sxs he got around on.

I picked up my fist hoe over 70 years ago and at one time or other used about every type that can be purchased in N. America. Although a stirrup hoe can slash down a lot of weeds in a short time they aren't any help getting the roots out. While routine weeding beds and garden I'm using a corner to get between or close to plants 50% of the time,how can you do that with a stirrup hoe? If a small weed is on other side and near the plant I push it out with corner of hoe,how do you do it with a stirrup hoe ?

 

[copytmpmzl]

My wife and I are determined to stay ahead of the weeds in our garden this year. Last year was a disaster and they completely took over. (she was working weekends) We have a couple cheap hoes from box stores but they are junk and won't hold an edge because of the cheap steel they're made out of. My first thought was to find estate auctions and buy some 40-50 year old gardening hand tools but that's not as easy as I thought. Estate auctions aren't as common as they once were it seems.

After scouring the internet I came across a few companies making what seem to be quality tools.


Does anyone have a recommendation on Texas Tiller instruction, support?

Generally I am not a toolaholic, that being said a good garden hoe is not easy to get. Most stuff sold in the big box stores is junk. Actually I think 3 hoes are needed. A stirrup/Hulu hoe for fast weeding . A narrow light hoe for fine work and row making I have a German made SHW chopper/row maker hoe this is a great tool , but too narrow for general work . What I am lacking is a good quality general purpose hoe . After an obsessive compulsive search I came across a company name Rogue that repurposes used disc blades to make garden tool . My lovely wife ordered me their model 70G for fathers day it should be dry enough to try it out by the time it gets here . I will keep you posted.. I did get some strange looks from coworkers when I told them my wife got me a Rogue hoe for fathers day

 

[2manyrocks]

I picked up my fist hoe over 70 years ago and at one time or other used about every type that can be purchased in N. America. Although a stirrup hoe can slash down a lot of weeds in a short time they aren't any help getting the roots out. While routine weeding beds and garden I'm using a corner to get between or close to plants 50% of the time,how can you do that with a stirrup hoe? If a small weed is on other side and near the plant I push it out with corner of hoe,how do you do it with a stirrup hoe ?

Severing the stem with the leaves is pretty effective even if the roots remain.

The real key is to keep the ground worked so the weeds don't get established.

Best of all is to use an effective mulch to avoid the bulk of weeding.

I'm a little surprised someone hasn't figured out how to make a battery powered vibratory scuffle hoe.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Generally I am not a toolaholic, that being said a good garden hoe is not easy to get. Most stuff sold in the big box stores is junk. Actually I think 3 hoes are needed. A stirrup/Hulu hoe for fast weeding . A narrow light hoe for fine work and row making I have a German made SHW chopper/row maker hoe this is a great tool , but too narrow for general work . What I am lacking is a good quality general purpose hoe . After an obsessive compulsive search I came across a company name Rogue that repurposes used disc blades to make garden tool . My lovely wife ordered me their model 70G for fathers day it should be dry enough to try it out by the time it gets here . I will keep you posted.. I did get some strange looks from coworkers when I told them my wife got me a Rogue hoe for fathers day

Rogue is one of the links I provided. The only thing that concerns me is the thickness of the blades on those hoes. I'm not sure how well they will penetrate the soil. Please provide an update after you get it!

 

[CADplans]

For us,, this has been the PERFECT year for keeping a garden weed-free.

With dry conditions, and only occasional rain,, a few strokes with the "HULA"-hoe,, 100% of the weeds are gone.

The trick to weed-free is stop the weed during the first week after the weed has sprouted.
If it rains,, and rains,,, and RAINS,,,,, you have little hope of keeping the weeds down.

Our garden is 40X100 feet, I plant with 42" row spacing.
Mostly, my wife will do next to the plant with the hula hoe,, I will follow-up with the Troy-Bilt Horse.

Any narrower than 42 inches,, forget the Horse,, you are stuck with 100% hand work,, or a smaller tiller.

If it rains too much, even with 42" rows, occasionally I have to use the MANTIS tiller, instead of the Horse.

This pic is the left half of our garden,, one week ago.
The Huge plants are volunteer Sunflowers from last years garden.

We have been feeding the chickens about 1/2 bushel of Paris Island lettuce a day,, for over a month.
The two of us can only eat "so - much" lettuce!!
The chickens LOVE it,, it sure seems to have reduced the 18% feed consumption,,,

The chickens eating the lettuce makes keeping the garden weed-free worth all the effort!!