Author: Greg Baka
All the Hoe Shapes, Styles, and Designs: Simplified
There are countless names, flavors, and descriptions associated with garden hoes. After hours of online research, I discovered a list that grew exponentially, ending with a grand total of 48 unique garden hoe names. And mind you, that was without including brands, spelling differences, and regional name variations!
However, when you group these hoes based on their purpose and the action required to operate them, the list narrows down to just five different categories.
Can you guess what these five categories are? (Hint: The picture below showcases only three of them.)
Let’s start by sorting the 48 hoes into these five categories, based on what they are most useful for, the action used to operate the tool, and the type of soil they work best in. We’ll also explore how you can optimize your old garden hoes and choose replacements for the less effective ones in your tool collection. Remember, there’s no such thing as a universal garden hoe – each one is designed to excel at one or two specific tasks.
Without further ado, here are all 48 garden hoes listed in alphabetical order:
- Action
- American Standard
- Circle
- Cobra Head
- Coleman Hoe
- Collinear
- Cultivator Hoe
- Diamond
- Draw
- Dutch
- Eye Hoe
- EZ Digger
- Field
- Floral
- Fork
- Goose Neck
- Grape
- Grub
- Gung-hoe
- Half Moon
- Heart
- Hooke-and-Crooke
- Hula
- Korean Ho-Mi
- Loop Hoe
- Onion
- Oscillating
- Paddle
- Pattern
- Plow Hoe
- Pointed
- Potato Fork
- Pull Spork
- Push
- Push-n-Pull
- Ridging
- Scovil
- Scuffle
- Speed
- Stirrup
- Swage Hoe
- Swan Neck
- Swoe
- Trapezoid
- Upright Hoe
- Warren
- Winged Weeder
- Wire Weeder
Whew! That’s quite a confusing jumble. So let’s simplify things and group them into the right categories.
List of 5 Garden Hoe Categories:
- Digging Hoes: These hoes are designed for digging and tilling, featuring a chopping action.
- Draw Hoes: Ideal for weeding, these hoes employ a pulling/scraping action.
- Reciprocating Hoes: Specifically for weeding, these hoes utilize a scrubbing action and often come with a moving blade.
- Flat Hoes: Perfect for weeding, these hoes offer a push-pull action with a blade that lays flat on the soil.
- Sweeping Hoes: Designed for weeding, these hoes employ a sweeping action, with the handle held fairly straight up.
Feel free to click on each group name for more details.
With this simplified breakdown, you can now confidently navigate the world of garden hoes and choose the perfect tool for your gardening needs. Happy gardening!
