The image of a gardener hunched over his garden hoe, scrapping weeds out of the soil, may be cliche, but for good reason. Hoe's do a wonderful job of keeping weeds at bay, without having to bend down and grab them.
There are several types of hoes - square, wide, V-shaped, bar-shaped - and they all do the job. You should try out a few to see which you find preferable. In general, a rolled steel blade that is riveted to the handle will be the sturdiest. After that, it depends on your needs...
1. Shank Goose Neck Hoe
This is your basic paddle hoe. It has a 6 x 5 1/2" blade on a 4 ft. flame toughened, wooden handle. The blade is attached via a goose-neck, for better alignment, making it easier on your back. $34.99 - $37.85
2. Forged Warren Hoe
This hoe is made by Ames/Truetemper. The blade is 4 3/4" x 6 5/8" with a 54" hardwood handle. The pinned chrome steel ferrule gives it added strength at the base. $30.35 - $33.99
3. Onion Hoe
Onion hoes are long and thinner than basic blade hoes. The design is meant to make it easier to slide under foliage, but the width can be a problem in crowded beds. However, the extra with is welcome when weeding. Both the bottom and side edges are sharpened, for more versatility.
This product is also manufactured by Ames Co.. The blue square top blade is 7" x 1 3/4" and made of Chrome ferrule. It has a flame toughened 52" hardwood handle. $25.51 - $31.99
4. Scuffle Hoe
Scuffle hoes have become my hoe of preference because they cut in both directions, backward and forward. The name is appropriate. You scuffle the blade along the soil, rather than pulling it repeatedly toward you, as with conventional hoes. If your soil is not too compacted, it also works well as a cultivator.The sharp, double-edge blade is 1" x 6" and cuts on both the push and pull movements. The handle is 54" long and made of strong white ash. $18.99
5. Heart Hoe
The Hear Hoe was developed by a gardener who didn’t like the pulling action of a traditional hoe and wanted more function than a scuffle hoe. The Heart Hoe actually works like a scuffle hoe, for removing weeds, but it has a flat blade with a pointed edge, that can be used to cut into sod. And the ‘V’ groove at the top of the heart is used to yank out larger weeds. The hoe blade is able to rotate to any angle necessary. It’s very thoughtful, actually.There are other tools in the Disc-Hoe line and they all have interchangeable bladeses and handles. There is both a long and short handle available.
