Burgon & Ball Dutch Hoe - RHS Range

This stainless-steel Dutch hoe by Burgon & Ball is designed for weeding without the use of chemicals and for working soil surfaces. Its head is angled for pushing and pulling, making it a two-in-one tool.

This model consists of handle made from FSC*-certified hardwood. This handle is particularly long, perfect for preventing back strain while you work. The forged head is made of polished stainless steel that offers less resistance to penetration into the soil and is resistant to shock, torsion, and corrosion. The handle is compostable, and the metal head is recyclable.

* FSC is an international ecolabel guaranteeing that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests

The hoe is an essential tool in the garden, designed both for weeding without resorting to the use of chemicals, and for working topsoil. Hoeing has been part of the gardener's vocabulary since the Middle Ages, with hoeing meaning "doing twice". After hoeing, which involves cutting the weeds cleanly at the neck, the gardener uses the hoe for the second time to dislodge their roots, as well as to loosen and aerate the surface layer of soil. This aerates the soil around the cultivated plants in the vegetable garden or ornamental garden. The old saying, "one hoeing is worth two waterings", is worth following. Clayey or loamy soil tends to harden when drying, forming what is called a compacted crust that is very difficult to rehydrate and suffocating for plants, while also leading to water evaporation. Breaking this crust after watering limits water evaporation. 

Technical specifications:

- Height = 161cm (63in)

- Head = 12cm (5in)

- Weight = 960g

Promesse de fleurs has chosen the English company Burgon & Ball for the quality of its materials and its nearly three centuries-old steel manufacturing methods. The company has been working with steel in Sheffield since 1730, initially with a patent for solid steel sheep shears. The production of garden shears and equipment quickly surpassed that of sheep shears, but the stainless-steel tools from Burgon & Ball are officially approved by the Royal Horticultural Society - probably the ultimate reward in the gardening industry.

The steel used for Burgon & Ball tools is alloyed with carbon to give it strength, and with chrome to prevent rust. It's a very precise balance that needs to be found between chrome and carbon, different for each part of the tool. For example, the socket, which needs to be strong enough to withstand bending, is made of thicker steel with a medium balance between chrome and carbon, while the blade of this weeding knife, which requires significant strength and hardness to withstand bending in the soil, is made with a higher carbon content than chrome.

The heat treatment creates the right level of hardness for each tool. Too hard and the metal can break or chip, not hard enough and it will bend or lose its sharpness. The thickness of the steel used also depends on the tool. The thickness of the steel affects the weight, so it's also a balance to be found, which the company Burgon & Ball, with its nearly 300 years of experience, has validated to ensure that its tools are both effective and comfortable to use.