*I was not compensated for this product review. All opinions are my own.*
The thought of weeding bugs me. It’s like dishes, laundry and dog poop. My garden is rarely without weeds. Yours is probably that way too so we should feel better since misery loves company. Once the urge comes over me to get in there and weed though, I’m like a woman possessed. Putting a dent in the weed population is an incredibly satisfying, albeit fleeting, feeling. Sorta like the one I get from drowning hundreds of Japanese beetles. A weed free garden is a pipe dream, as they return as certainly as the dog will poop, the sink will fill and the kids will load their laundry baskets in a day or two. At least with weeding, I get a break in the winter.
This August, I attended the Independent Garden Center (IGC) trade show where I discovered a pretty cool product, the Hula-Ho. It hardly looks like a weeder. I had no idea what it did and asked the company rep to tell me more about it. So he did and I ended up with a box full of product from the company on my doorstep a few weeks later. I wasn’t paid to review the Hula-Ho and am only sharing it with you after trialing it in my garden. It’s a cool thing to have around. Even cooler since I have arthritis in my fingers and pinching weeds and seedlings out of the soil can be painful. The Hula-Ho made weeding quick, easy and most importantly, painless.
What’s So Special About the Hula-Ho?
Well a lot, actually. The business end of this tool is sharp and made for slicing, on both the forward and backward strokes, the heads off larger weeds and removing smaller ones entirely. The blade has a little wiggle action to it that makes it easier to cut at the right angle slightly below the soil surface. Ideally you want to remove weeds while they’re young and have yet to establish sturdy root systems. Sorry to say I’m not the most vigilant gardener. Weeds tend to pop up like giant prickly middle fingers in the midst of this beautiful oasis. Who needs that? I attacked the lambs ear seedlings while they were small and the Hula-Ho made short work of it, removing the entire plant, roots and all.
For larger weeds like dandelion and Canadian thistle, I wasn’t able to remove the whole plant with the Hula-Ho. But that’s ok. Removing the growing portion depletes the root system of the nutrients gathered by the above-ground plant. It may come back, but in a weakened form that, given time and a few more wacks with the Hula-Ho, you’ll be able to eliminate completely. The big guys tend to release pretty easily, roots and all, following a good rain and a hardy tug.
Made in America, Hula-Ho is available in several lengths. Handles are either hardwood or aluminum; the longer versions at 54″ and 60″ are back and knee savers whereas the mini, at 14″, is ideal for really getting in and around annuals and perennials. Replacement heads are also available.
Check out my picks for other great garden tools here.
Do you think this would work with weeds in stone as well?
I just put down some product to prevent seeds from sprouting and am hoping it helps for next spring, but I’d rather have a manual way to get rid of them.
I think the sharp edge on the tool would get damaged by the stones and be less effective in soil.