A hoe is invaluable, and should be one of the hardest worked tools in the tool shed!
But which one do you buy?
Again hoes like the garden fork, have been designed for their purpose, meaning; choice will be dependant on your needs.
For example; There are types to cut down weeds (Dutch Hoe),types to pull up soil around plants or create furrows/trenches (Draw hoes) to name but a few.
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The Dutch hoe;
This 'Dee' shaped hoe has a flat blade for working just below the soil surface.
Once severed, the weeds are left to dry and wither in the sun, then later raked off and deposited in the compost heap.
This type is also useful for keeping surface soil loose, thus reducing evaporation of moisture from the soil, i.e. the flat blade tends to leave a dusty top to the soil, thus serving to bottle up the moisture below.
This loosening also makes it easier for air, warmth and rain to penetrate down to the root system.
It can also be used for forming drills for seed sowing and planting.
The Draw hoe;
Has an upright blade at right angles to the long handle.
Then once the seeds are sown, the soil can be drawn back again to cover the seed.
In the case of potatoes; it can also be used to earth them up.
It can also useful for 'scutching' out annual weeds.
The Canterbury hoe;
Is similar in size and shape to a 'draw hoe' but instead of a solid blade it has three tines / prongs, this gives it the appearance of a hand fork that has been bent at right angles to the handle.
This is a useful tool for working between rows of plants as it allows the user to loosen the soil, and rake back the debris to the edge of the bed without walking on the bed.
In terms of purchasing any of the above;
Initially, and simply for its versatility, it might be best to consider the multi purpose hoe, and a mattock.
The benefit the mattock has over the draw hoe is;
it will do both heavy and light work (with care) as opposed to the draw hoe only being suited to light work.