Starting to hoe the vegetable plot to remove the weeds as they come up

Warmer weather means weeds starting to grow.


The warmer weather is welcome because it has made the garlic and onions start to grow and the rain will be helping to get things started on the allotment. Unfortunately this also means that the weeds have started to show up. However I have learnt from previous years experiences, that it is no use ignoring them, they need to be tackled and the sooner the better. I have a 'push-pull' how that cuts on the back and forward stroke and this is ideally suited to chopping the tops of the emerging weeds. There is no need to pick up the 'weed tops' that are hoed off as they will not cause problems.

It has taken me a fair bit of time to master the skill of using the hoe to keep the weeds in check; without chopping down the plants I am trying to grow along with the weeds. Now I am confident enough to hoe down weeds that I would have once had to pull up as being too close to the plants. Another reason that it is easier this year is that I have finally got the space between my planted rows wide enough to be able to work safely between them.

The tool I use is a hoe that attaches to a multi-tool handle, so that with transporting just one handle I can have a hoe and a rake at hand to use. I also have a shorter handle for the multi-tool for areas where the longer handle is not suitable.