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.