What is the oscillating hoe?
An effective approach to weed control with intensive organic methods
Weed management is a major concern for us, and that's where the oscillating hoes come in. We have two types of hoe, one 8 cm and the other 12 cm, chosen according to the number of rows on the bed. The 8 cm hoe is perfect for crops with 4 to 5 rows, while we opt for the 12 cm hoe whenever we have fewer rows, i.e. three, two or one row.
Choosing the right hoe
The hoes we use are Swiss-made by Glaser, but you can find other similar brands. What's important is that they oscillate. In addition, it's essential to fit them with a very thin handle to make them as light as possible. A little tip: we use lawn broom handles, which are thinner than conventional handles, and they're also very long. This gives us optimum ergonomics when weeding.
The oscillating hoe: what exactly is it?
Weeding with hoes is nothing like the weeding our grandparents used to do with a weeder. It's much more subtle and precise. We use this tool on young seedlings, young cotyledons. So it's a lighter, more ergonomic technique that costs us less effort.
When should you use the oscillating hoe?
If you look at the crop from a distance, you'd think there was no weed growth. But if you look closely, you can see that germination has begun. You can see all the little seedlings pointing to the tip of their noses. It's precisely at this stage that we intervene to hoe and destroy these undesirable young weeds. This is how we effectively manage weed on our farm.
We prefer to hoe on sunny days, so avoid watering on the same day. Using the hoe is quite simple: a back-and-forth movement on the board, keeping your back straight and not bending down too much. It's a light, fluid gesture, precisely targeted at unwanted plants. There's no need to exert yourself, just let the hoe do its work with ease.
Our video on the oscillating hoe
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