The use of a good hoe can yield far better outcome. A hoe is used to cultivating, removing weeds, or moving up and mounding the earth. It is a valuable tool for any seasoned gardener. It was the first noticeable agricultural tool. The hoe is amongst the oldest agriculture tools, and it is still in use till date. This digging device comprises of a blade set at right angle to a handle. The edges of current hoes are made from metal; while earlier versions had stone/wooden blades.
Hoes have mainly been substituted in cultivation by tractors and plows, but are still regularly used in gardening to slacken dirt and remove weeds. Well, the value of having a good hoe cannot be overestimated, as it makes every task more manageable. Over the years, new varieties of hoes have emerged but picked a good hoe provides the needed value
The History of The Hoe in Agriculture
Hoes are an older technology, preceding the plow and possibly come first only by the digging stick. In Sumerian myths, the discovery of the hoe was accredited to Enlil, a chief in the assembly of gods. The first hoes were forked brushwood. In the fifth era BC, weighty flaked-stone tools straddled with bitumen were used in Mesopotamia. They existed together with flint-bladed sickles and stones for grinding—all of which signifies farm settlements. During this period, Hoe blades were created from animal horns and shoulder blades, and sometimes shells. They were quite some differences on the hoe, for instance, the pick, and plow, look as if the blade developed from stone to bronze, copper, iron, etc. This day, the hoe signifies the garden agriculture that continued through high civilizations, like those of pre-Columbian America.
The Purpose of a Hoe
A hoe has become a handy agricultural and gardening hand tool. The primary purpose of a hoe includes been used to clear soil, harvest root crops, remove weeds, and shape the earth. Developing the land with a hoe consist of piling dirt around the plants base (hilling), excavating thin furrows (drills), and shallow channels for seeds planting. Weeding with a hoe comprises of shaking the soil surface or cutting undergrowth from roots, and soil removal of old sources and plant remains. Hoes meant for excavating, and moving soil can also be used for harvesting root crops.
Type of Hoes
There are several kinds of hoes which vary in the way it looks and purposes. Some hoes serve several purposes while others serve a specific function. There are two general types of hoes, and this includes:
- Field Hoe
- Garden Hoe
Field hoe
The Field Hoe is any heavyweight duty hoe that can serve a variety of purpose like breaking soil, clearing small vegetation, cutting roots or removal of heavy weeds. The field hoes are designed for field and massive purpose task. The Field Hoe has an enormously robust and hard-wearing blade that is very sharp. The field hoe is used for cultivation purposes and also putting in a new garden zone. It also functions significantly in taking out big weeds in the field or along the fence row. The handle socket and hoe blade are fused together, so you do not have to fear about breaking.
Garden Hoe
Garden hoe are useful tools for breaking up hard soils, cultivating, and weeding. Garden hoe is excellent in keeping down weeds in any garden. Dependent on the type of job, we also have a variety of Garden Hoes, but not limited to:
- Long handle garden hoe functions significantly in vegetable gardens for weeding around crops and flower beds where that extra reach is needed.
- A scuffle hoe, removes weeds at the root, whether pulling or pushing and is excellent for putting the unwanted plant down in an established garden.
- Heavy duty draws hoes cut through rough unwanted plant like butter.
Common patterns of garden hoes
Making use of the right tools, make any job more comfortable, and garden hoes are no exemption to this rule. There are some common patterns of the garden hoe, and every gardener should at least take note of it. There are several common patterns of garden hoe available, and this profusion can make it hard to select the right garden hoe that meets your desires. You may discover that you need more than one pattern of the garden hoe, which is mostly dependent on your garden hoe needs. If you need a garden hoe only for the removal of weed seedlings, either traditional hoes with the rectangular blade or a scuffle hoe would fit in just perfectly. But if you require a multipurpose garden hoe, a scuffle hoe makes the best choice.
Another garden hoe pattern has a trapezoid shaped blade with a full cutting edge. The sharp edges make them useful for cutting stricter weed roots. Another familiar pattern of garden hoes has a triangular blade. They are also helpful in tight spots, and the pointy edge is advantageous for digging furrows and dragging out weeds. No matter what pattern you like, you would always find a garden hoe that matches your desire.
Care and Maintenance of a Hoe
Take care of your hoes, and it will take care of you! Well, that is easier said than done. After a day of gardening, cleaning your hoe is quite essential. Hoes last a lot longer if you express little love to them every once in a while. All you need to care and maintain your hoes is taking a short time to:
- Clean
- Sand
- Sharpen
- Oil
Clean
Gather together your hoes, warm water, and stiff bristle brush. Begin with brushing and knocking off the main dirt, then rinse and let them air dry or wipe them.
Sand
After drying, it is good you sand any hoe with wood handles.
Sharpen
You can sharpen your hoes with a variety of tools, but a more popular option is using a flat file. Before you begin, a word about safety. Please ensure you use eye protection devices.
Oil
Applying oil to your hoe removes and reduces the chance of your hoes getting rust. Apply the oil liberally all over your hoes, let it sit for few minutes and then wipe off the extra. The purpose using oil is to create a barrier between the metal and oxygen/water.
CONCLUSION
The value of a good hoe has come a long way. This old technology has over time stood firm and shown its importance not only in gardening but also in other agricultural activities as well. There is no limit as to what you can achieve with a good hoe and with proper care, your investment in good hoes will last a very long time.
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