Now that Summer has arrived the garden is growing like crazy, including the dreaded weeds, so this month I’ve been testing out the Wilkinson Sword Stainless Steel Swoe Style Hoe. It is designed for weeding in confined spaces, so should be handy around my onion sets as well as in the borders.
First impressions of the Swoe is that it looks and feels very strong. The stainless steel blade is angled with cutting edges on three sides, which will work well as a push-pull action severing weeds from their roots. The handle has been made from ash which has also been weather-proofed.
I started on the onion sets first, and was immediately impressed how much easier it was to use in and around the narrow rows compared to using a standard Dutch Hoe.
I had soon collected a heap of weeds from around the onions, as you can see in the photo below just under my right knee. Using a hoe like this one makes keeping down weed completion from your crops so easy, and as the blade of the tool is mounted on one side only it can be used behind the plants as well. After the vegetable patches I decided to attack the weeds within the borders, and this proved just as efficient.
I can honestly say that the Swoe has really impressed me with its performance around the garden and is definitely a tool I will reach for again and again to tackle those annoying weeds!