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