Garden Tools: Hoe
Updated: Dec 8, 2021
A hoe is used to dislodge weeds or for cultivating the garden, stirring up and mounding the soil All hoes have the same basic structure and purpose: a long handle with a paddle, blade, or stirrup at the end, typically at an angle to the handle.
- Paddle/Draw/Chopping/Planter hoe is the basic garden hoe. This general tool can help you dislodge weeds by the root or mound and shape soil. You can find versions of this with smaller paddles for tight spaces and in lighter weights.
-Stirrup/shuffle/loop hoe has an attachment that looks like the stirrup on a saddle. While the paddle hoe is usually used by pulling it back or making a chopping motion, you can use the stirrup with a back-and-forth motion that really helps to dig out stubborn weeds without displacing a lot of soil.
-Collinear/Onion hoe: The paddle or blade on this type of hoe is long and thin. This hoe is designed to weed in narrow spaces and the blade rides parallel to the surface of the soil. Because of the angle of the blade, you can use it without bending over, which is great for the back.
-Warren/Dutch hoe. This hoe has a flat blade or paddle, attached at a 90-degree angle, but the shape is a triangle or spade. The pointy part faces out and is used to get into tight spaces or to dig out difficult weeds
