How to Use a Garden Hoe

A garden hoe is the perfect tool to both cultivate your soil in preparation for your garden and weed your garden. Several types of garden hoes are available depending on your gardening needs, and some are great multi-tasking tools. The proper choice of garden hoe will make weeding and planting easier if used correctly.

What You’ll Need

• A trip to the local garden supply store


• A plot of land to garden


• The garden hoe(s) you have selected

1.  Research the type of hoe you should purchase for your needs. A good quality hoe with a solid hardwood handle will last longer.

2.  Select a hoe based on what you will be using it for. A traditional planter hoe has a flat, square or rectangle shaped blade that is attached to the handle at a 90-degree angle. With a small planter hoe, you can dig the soil in rows for planting seeds. A planter hoe with a wider blade is great for weeding. A stirrup hoe has a blade which, like its name implies, is shaped like a stirrup. It is an open blade, and both sides are sharp so it can be pushed and pulled for easier use. A warren hoe has a blade, which is attached to the handle at a 90-degree, but is shaped like an upside down triangle so it can get into tight areas and dig narrow rows.

3.  Determine if the handle of the hoe is long enough. You should be able to stand up straight and have the blade of your hoe reach one to two feet in front of you. If you have to bend over to do your weeding or cultivating it will make it more difficult and can cause a sore back.

4.  Move your hoe over the soil you are weeding in a raking motion for the planter hoe, or a back and forth motion for the stirrup hoe. Make sure you get just below the surface of the soil to remove weeds. To dig rows for planting, pull the hoe toward you in small strokes, excavating as deeply as the seed or seedling instructions state.