Hoe (tool)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The hoe is a hand tool used in gardening. A hoe is made up of a sharp blade, usually made of metal such as iron, steel or aluminum, attached to a long handle, usually of wood. A hoe can be made up of many types of blades, with a variety of uses, probably the most common of which is the removal of weeds and unwanted crops. Along with the spade and fork, the hoe is considered a basic, essential hand-farming implement.
Hoes are used to:
- agitate the surface of the soil around plants, to remove weeds
- pile soil around the base of plants (hilling);
- create narrow furrows (drills) and shallow trenches for planting seeds and bulbs;
- generally dig and move soil (e.g. harvesting potatoes), and chop weeds, roots and crop residues.
There are many types of blade of quite different appearance and purpose. Some can perform multiple functions. Others are intended for a specific use (e.g. the collinear hoe has a narrow, razor-sharp blade which is used to slice weeds by skimming it just above the surface of the soil with a sweeping motion; it is unsuitable for tasks like soil moving and chopping).
The Dutch hoe is a design that is pushed or pulled through the soil to cut weeds just under the surface. It cannot be used to pull or push soil around.
