There is always a place for a hand hoe on an organic farm.

There is always a place for a hand hoe on an organic farm. No matter how small or large a property, there are always weed infestations which start somewhere - along a roadside, in a holding yard or around a haystack or feeding area - and they are susceptible to control by hand methods. Many small horticulture properties rely on a hand hoe as the main tool for weed control.

There are many types of hoes and they are not all the same. There are many different designs and they suit different uses. They also vary greatly in the amount of effort required to use them. Each grower has a preference for a particular hoe too, although this article contains some information on unique designs, which will be new for some readers.

The hoe is not generally a ‘primary cultivation’ tool - it is not used for ‘opening up’ new soil. The primary purpose of a hoe is to cut weeds or weed roots. It may also be used to bury organic matter (chipped weeds, manure etc) and open the soil up for easy water penetration.

The big guns of the hoe family include mattocks and pickaxes. These tools are capable of very heavy work in new soil. A mattock is a very effective tool for many jobs and in skilled hands the different working surfaces on the blade allow it to be used like a pick, an axe and a spade. There are many versions of the pick, including the long, slender trenching pick and the short handled ‘miners’ pick.

Blade hoes are sometimes used for primary cultivation - usually in the third world. A blade hoe has a strong handle, for a double handed chopping action, and often the blade is attached to the handle by a ring socket, although they may have a tang which fits into the shaft, and a ferrule. These hoes are good for removing large weeds in a variety of soil conditions. They are heavy and inefficient, in that the only work stroke is the down stroke, the lifting strike does not work, it only positions the hoe for the next work stroke.

Many lighter hoes have tines and are useful for removing smaller weeds and loosening soil which has previously been cultivated. Typical of this type of hoe is the familiar three prong hoe, often available with a long or shorter handle.

This article reviews these and other, more specialised hoes and reveals some advantages (and disadvantages) of each type.

There are many different hoe designs and many versions or adaptations of each shape. Many of my friends and colleagues have developed their own tools, to suit a particular purpose, starting with a similar tool or design.