This is the first decision you need to make when deciding to grow onions, do you grow them from seeds or from sets? Seeds That being said, unless you are really putting the stainless steel through its paces it’s hard to notice and stainless steel is easier to sharpen than the carbon. If you see that the steel has been heat treated then it’s going to be very robust and tough. Likewise if the blade has an epoxy coating or a powder coating it’s going to be more resilient to rusting. What sort of price am I looking at?

grew and grew to a total of 48 unique garden hoe names. And that was without including brands, spelling differences, and regional name variations!If you find your tools have rusted, distilled vinegar and aluminium foil can be used to easily remove this

The Dutch hoe has an angled blade that is pushed and pulled through the soil to slice weeds just under the surface of the soil. Also look out for the Royal Dutch hoe – a formidable tool that has a row of zig-zag teeth (making the hoe resemble a crown) that slice on the push stroke, with a hook blade on the reverse to cut on the pull stroke. For extra thrust, choose one that sports a pistol-style grip at the end of its handle. Razor Hoe They taste just like spring onions and can be used in the exact same way. in fact, they taste so similar that I have stopped growing spring onions now to save space for other crops. for a digging hoe head is 1/2 pound per inch. This means that a 4" wide blade needs to weigh 2 pounds, and a 6" wide head needs to weigh 3 pounds. If you have never grown onions before, or perhaps never grown them successfully, then follow along with my guide for onion success this year! Seeds or Sets The right choice of tool in the garden can make a big difference. A hoe is used to dislodge weeds or for cultivating the garden, stirring up and mounding the soil. It’s an important tool for any serious gardener, but did you know that there are multiple types of garden hoes? Some are better for specific jobs, like weeding, while others are designed for bigger or smaller spaces. Choose the right hoe for the job and both the garden and your muscles will thank you. Types of Garden Hoes

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Two, the head-to-handle connection is not strong enough. A real digging hoe has a beefy connection that is designed to withstand the chopping forces. Consider the durability of the blade when choosing a garden hoe, especially if you plan to use it frequently. Stainless steel blades are prone to rust, and you can’t sharpen them, so they are best suited for light gardening tasks. (Some manufacturers powder-coat their blades to forestall rust.) On the other hand, some hoes with pointed blades require frequent sharpening. Besides the blade material, consider its shape. Some are better for pushing and pulling, while others are built for chopping and pulling the hoe inward. This means I sow the seeds into module trays but sow three or four seeds per module rather than growing them individually. Paddle, or Draw, hoe. The basic garden hoe goes by many names, including paddle, draw, chopping, or planter. The paddle at the end of the handle is a small rectangle, approximately 6 by 4 inches (15 x 10 cm.), angled at 90 degrees. This is a good general hoe that can help you dislodge weeds by the root or mound and shape soil. You can find versions of this with smaller paddles for tight spaces and in lighter weights. If you aren’t sure how to use a hoe that is more specialized, this is a good place to start. This garden hoe is made of durable steel with an unconventional blade. One side is traditionally hoe-like: flat, for deep digging, tilling, and breaking through hard-to-get-at soil. The other end has three tines, for cultivating.

The Corona GT 3244 Hoe Cultivator is our top choice for garden hoes. Its 2-in-1 steel head can stretch your dollar even further, with one side that is built to cultivate the soil, and the other to aerate. If you want something specifically built for removing weeds, we recommend Grampa’s Weeder. The company has been around since 1913 and has created a steel four-claw design that works on all types of soil. What to Look forin a Garden Hoe Handles Hula, Korean Ho-Mi, Loop hoe, Onion, Oscillating, Paddle, Pattern, Plow hoe, Pointed, Potato fork, Pull spork, Push, Push-n-Pull, Ridging, Plant onion sets so the pointed tip only just shows above the soil surfaceSets are usually planted in spring, from mid-March to mid-April. There are also a few varieties for autumn planting, often sold as overwintering or Japanese onions – these are less sensitive to cold, which would otherwise cause bolting. Autumn planting is not suitable in heavy soils prone to waterlogging, as the sets are likely to rot. But they can be planted on modules indoors instead, then transplanted outdoors in spring, which still gives them a head-start.Apart from weeding, you want to keep the soil moist during dry spells. Apart from that there isn’t much to do, just let them grow and enjoy watching the bulbs swell! Harvesting Harvesting onions

But a draw hoes has a light cone connection, so an hour or two of chopping with it usually results in the head breaking off the handle. When you are happy with the size, just pull them up. Grip onto the leaves low down near the bulb and give them a twist and pull, they should lift easily. Drying & Curing Platted OnionsUse a module tray or root trainer if you have one, fill it with compost and sow three or few seeds per module. The reason is that many decades ago, digging hoes became hard to get, and some tool company beefed up a standard draw hoe in a poor attempt One, the hoe head does not have enough weight to allow it to chop through hard ground. The weight ratio It is fairly easy to see when onions are ready to harvest, the leaves will flop, start turning yellow and generally just look a bit old and tired.