Aptly named because it looks like a stirrup on the end of a stick, the stirrup, or Dutch hoe is by far and away, my favorite garden tool. It can slip between rows and pull weeds right out of the ground. And those it doesn't pull out, it cuts off at ground level, leaving the growing parts of the plant venerable to the elements.
My technique for using it lately has been to weed early in the morning on a day that promises to be warm (hot is better) and then leave the weeds until evening. Then I go back out, and simply rake the shriveled greenery up and stick it in the compost! Easy!
It is wonderful for getting between rows of veggies too. Here, my basil had some little fluffy intruders, and I decided to try to get them out without leaning over the beds (a smart choice considering my neck isn't all the way up to par yet). I dug them up with the stirrup hoe and pulled them all out at once, dropping them with my pile from the pathways.
5 comments
look at all that Basil!!!! Pesto, here you come. nice tool, i might have to find me one of those:)
Wow. That looks like a great tool. I'm going to have to look into one!
What size and kind of lumber do you use to make your beds? I just started making raised beds of my own using cedar 2x4s stacked 3 high and this is turning quite expensive and time consuming. Your method looks much easier.
Thanks!
Oh, this lazy you! But I understand you so clearly, because I had the same situation couple years ago. My dear parents decided to grow up pecans and when they finally did that, it was fucking hard to pick everything up. So, I bought them a tool, great for picking up pecans, that let them all the nuts together faster and easier. Buy that too, if you really don't want to pick up one by one.
The work changed into very thoughtfully achieved and you could tell how thorough and professional the task becomes.
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