Tips and tricks

● Copper rivets
Soil with the trace element copper has fewer problems with fungus. Old farmers knew this long ago and attached pieces of copper to their ploughs. When ploughing, the soil was enriched with traces of copper.
This is the reason why most of our blades are also available with copper rivets.

● Fastening implements on wheel hoes
When working with the wheel-hoe the connection between the implement and the chassis of the wheel hoe must be strong. Loosely-fastened implements damage not only the chassis but also the implement.
The bolt connections of the attachments should be therefore absolutely tightened with the suitable tool.
Together with each wheel-hoe we supply a tool-bag containing a spanner and hexagonal tubular wrenches for all the wheel hoe nuts and bolts.

● Air pressure of the wheels
It is easier to work with the tyre softly inflated than with it inflated hard. Roots and stones do not affect your working and the hoe stays on track.

● Handle
Our handles are manufactured in Switzerland from domestically-grown ash and comply with FSC terms.

Wooden handles are a natural product and succumb to environmental conditions such as: humidity, sun, wrong storage etc. Result: The wood shrinks, swells up, gets bent or can become loose in the ferrule.

Our ferrules have a long slot for a nail or a screw. It's possible to tap the handle into the taper till it is firmly fixed again.

Our handles are neither oiled nor lacquered. Oil can sometimes cause allergic reactions such as eczema and lacquered handles can't absorb sweat from the hands, so blisters often result.

● Rust protection
Our tools are either galvanised or powder coated.
The blades are oiled and should be cleaned and lightly oiled again after use.

● Sharp blades
All our blades are sharpened, but are not as sharp as a knife. Very sharp blades are not only dangerous for people but are also easily damaged when working in sandy and stony soil, so a really sharp blade doesn't make sense.

● Vertical / horizontal working blades
In contrast to a standard hoe with a vertically-mounted blade, the blades of oscillating hoes are mounted horizontally.
When hoeing with a standard hoe the work only takes place at the very last moment when the blade enters the soil.
The blades of the oscillating hoe are horizontally mounted and work continuously with a push and pull action. So when working with an oscillating hoe more work is accomplished with less human effort.

● Thermal weed control
The fight against weeds is more efficient when the soil is thermally treated before the first preparation in spring and before seed sowing. Most weed seeds on the soil surface (carried by wind, insects and animals) are destroyed by heat and so cannot germinate.
Weeds and weed-seeds do not need to be touched by the flame of the torch. The main work is done by the hot exhaust of the flame. To destroy weeds takes about 1 second contact with the hot exhaust. Thick leaves need longer.

● Farmer sayings
- When you see the weed, it is already too late.
- Once you chop too late = 7 years more chopping.
- The garden needs three things: an industrious gardner, a good seed and a good weather.
- Who maintains the field, the field maintains.
- Who wants good harvest must dig and chop much.