# Anybody use a wheel hoe?



## Joey Wahoo (Jul 9, 2003)

I've never used one, but the ad in Lehman's makes them sound great. I don't want to drop that much money on something though unless it's going to work.

Would love to hear what y'all think...


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Do you mean something similar to the garden weasel?

http://www.faultless.com/gardenweasel.asp

Or is it this one?
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Garden..._Deluxe_Hoss_Wheel_Garden_Hoe___1125575?Args=

I have a garden weasel and love it. Never tried the second thing.


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

By wheel hoe, do you mean a high wheel cultivator? If so, be aware they're not effortless to use at all, and if you get a heavy rain and your soil is such that it crusts, you're in for a lot of pushing and pulling. I had a nice one, had three different little hoe/shovel things, and I got rid of it. Too much effort.


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## Murray in ME (May 10, 2002)

I have one of the low wheeled versions with the pneumatic tire. I love it. With the 8 inch stirrup hoe it comes with, it's easily 4-6 times (at least) faster than using a regular hoe, stirrup or otherwise. With very little effort. It's an expensive tool but with decent care it sould last at least one lifetime. For me, the time and effort saved make it well worth the expense.

I've never used one of the older style with the high wheel but have heard that they are much more work to use. My low wheeled version requires very little effort to use. The handle bars are adjustable which is important both because users aren't all the same hight but also because it adjusts the depth of cut of the blade.


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## Whisperwindkat (May 28, 2009)

I have a high wheel version that must be 20 years old. I love it and have definitely gotten my money's worth out of it. Blessings, Kat


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

My grandfather was a master with the wheel hoe. He used it for furrow making and some hilling, but for shallow cultivation and weed elimination in the row middles he used it--with the five tine scratcher-- like you would use a push broom on a garage floor, forward, lift, backward, take another bite, and so forth, covering all the row middle by the time he got to the end. Never straight forward in straight lines. (He carried a big red bandana in his overhauls pocket, though, to wipe off the sweat at the end of each row)

geo


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## MaineFarmMom (Dec 29, 2002)

I have a Valley Oak. It's worth every penny. You might find muscles you've forgotten.

http://www.valleyoaktools.com/wheelhoe.html


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## farm (Jan 11, 2011)

Hey Joey,

I have a Glaser wheel hoe and thinks it's the best thing going. With a stirrup hoe, I can out do anyone with a Mantis AND I don't burn gas.

I don't think you'll like the Hoss as much, though. 

First, the best thing about my Glaser is the stirrup hoe. It cuts forward and backward. As you go along, you don't push the thing in one continuous motion. You push the hoe forward and pull it back as you walk. Tines or sweeps don't do nearly as much on the backward motion, but a stirrup hoe cuts both ways.

Second, it has plow handles on it, not cultivator handles. The angle of the bend is too shallow on them. They're made for steering a plow pulled by an animal, not pushing a wheel hoe. 

Third, the steel wheel may be nice in the fact that it will never go flat, but it's not as maneuverable as a pneumatic wheel. As you walk forward and push and pull the hoe in front of you, you may need to "widen" your worked area by tipping the hoe side to side. A pneumatic wheel, being round, makes this much easier than a flat-topped steel wheel. If they were to offer a rounded steel wheel, that may be the ticket.

I just went on their website and see they now offer cultivator handles and stirrup hoes, so they've fixed those two problems. 

http://store.hosstools.com/collections/handles

Good luck!


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## ca2devri (Feb 29, 2008)

I also have a valley oak wheel hoe. It has transformed how I garden. I would say they are a must if you have a big garden (for small gardens the rows may not be long enough to justify the cost). I can cultivate by hand probably 5 to 10 X what I could with a regular hoe. 

I can now plant incredible amounts of carrots, parsnips, beets, lettuce without worrying about the weeds totally taking over. I cultivate in-between rows many times with the stirrup wheel hoe. It barely moves soil, but does slice all the small, sprouted weeds. I can sometimes get away with little or no hand-weeding (maybe just in-row weeds) and have a great crop. 

some keys to doing it well with a wheel hoe:

- proper row spacing: I find about 2 times the hoe width is good... too narrow and you can't get in there. Also make sure rows are straight
- keep it sharp: I file mine every time I use it
- use it before the weeds are more than a few inches high. This turns out to be pretty easy as you can run up and down a 100' row in a matter of minutes.

Chris


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## HCK (May 2, 2006)

If you are serious about growing a lot of food, a wheel hoe is practically a necessity. The old-timers all used wheel hoes. Properly used, they are an incredibly useful tool.

While you are checking out the options, make sure to check out the *Planet Whizbang* wheel hoe. Complete, step-by-step instructions for making your own Planet Whizbang with an oscillating stirrup blade are at: www.WhizbangWheelHoe.com

You can also buy a bolt-together metal parts kit for making a Planet Whizbang for $99.00.

Feedback from Planet Whizbang wheel hoe users can be found at this link: Planet Whizbang Feedback.

And no matter what kind of wheel hoe you use, check out the essay titled: The Secret to Easy Garden Weed Control


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## D Lynn (May 26, 2008)

I was checking out one of these things in a gardening catalogue not too long ago. Sounds good too me! I might have to invest in one also!!
This isn't my thread but I'm glad Joey posted it. Thanks Joey!!


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## Wintergrower_OH (Sep 21, 2010)

http://wheelhoe.com/ . Good reviews on wheels mfg. .


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

I will second HCK's low wheel stirrup hoe -- it's fantastic! Please visit the website and have a look around.


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## Joey Wahoo (Jul 9, 2003)

Thanks for all the comments and advice! I ordered one from Valley Oak and am looking forward to seeing how it works.

peace and thanks again!


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