Leave The Hand Pulling Behind: The European-Style Tool To Remove Weeds Quickly

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Do you have a significant patch of garden that needs weeding? It's probably a chore you keep putting off because you're afraid that it's going to take forever to clear away all those pesky weeds. You already know that October is the best month to control weed growth, and although hand-pulling weeds is very effective and even therapeutic for some gardeners, it's undeniably time-consuming. Unless you have loads of time to spare, it's probably not something you're looking forward to doing. Thankfully, there are tools that allow you to move beyond hand-pulling and remove those weeds far more efficiently. The European-style grape hoe is one such implement.

The name of this nifty tool stems from its traditional use in the vineyards scattered across hillsides in certain parts of Europe. Essentially, it's just another type of garden hoe that differs from its counterparts in subtle ways. The grape hoe features a seven-inch-long blade made from a single piece of forged steel and a wooden handle that's often crafted from hickory. The blade is sharpened and curves inward slightly to cut through the weeds just below the soil level. Grape hoes are quite heavy, which gives you enough leverage to scrape the ground and remove weeds quickly and easily. You can buy a Seymour MFG Co Italian Grape Hoe Head for almost $40. The matching Seymour Manufacturing 40-Inch Italian Grape Hoe Handle is sold separately and costs about $53.

When used correctly, the grape hoe allows you to scrape weeds from a large area of ground fairly quickly. As mentioned, it cuts off the weeds below the soil surface, making it particularly useful for weeding garden paths and wide gaps between rows of vegetables. The weighty blade cuts through thick-stemmed weeds without too much effort.

When using a grape hoe in the garden, you have to keep in mind that it's a draw-type tool. This means you need to pull the implement towards you as the blade hits the ground. This allows the tool to slice through the weeds and move the cut plant matter in your direction. It can help to imagine that you're scraping back the top inch or so of the soil rather than chopping weeds at their base. Try to angle the hoe just slightly to the side. You'll clear the ground in front of you and create a neat pile of weeds that's easy to clear up later. Unlike with other hoes, walking backwards is not recommended when using a grape hoe.

Apart from allowing you to clear large areas of weeds fairly quickly, the grape hoe is also useful for hilling soil in your vegetable beds when sowing seeds and planting seedlings. It's also great at creating a neat edge between your lawn and garden beds; the sharp, heavy blade slices through turfgrass easily. Once you get the hang of removing weeds with this European implement, learn how to sharpen your garden hoe to ensure that it always slices through those weeds with ease.