Gardening can be one of the toughest jobs you'll do all year. That's why new inventions, like the one we tried in our Hoss Wheel Hoe review, is so exciting! Working in the garden is practically a full-time job, and that's with the help of my husband, myself, and all 6 of the kids! Our soil is clay -- "gumbo" as it's called here near the river bottom -- which means that it gets dense, packed down, and very sticky when wet.
We have a great tiller that we use to initially break up the soil, but we were looking for something manual, yet durable, that we could use to dig rows, tend to weeds, and even plant, when needed. We ordered the Deluxe HOSS Double Wheel Hoe, and anxiously awaited the garden season to start!
Hoss Wheel Hoe Review
How did it work? Putting it together seems intimidating, but -- if you follow directions -- it shouldn't take you more than 15 minutes. The wood is very solid, and the metal parts are smooth and finished. The steel wheel is especially durable and turns easily with just a little pressure. I like that it seems to be able to withstand both wear and any moisture it will come in contact with in the garden.
(Note: We love this tool, however, so we will be storing it in our shop to prolong its life!)
Here is my daughter using the HOSS Wheel Hoe to create rows in our garden (Note: We often use the furrowing plow as a way to create deep rows. It's great for potatoes and transplants!)
The hoe did a very good job of keeping things straight, and was able to work through any rocks or roots that were remaining. It was still work -- kids under 10 would have a hard time pushing through our dirt -- but it definitely made it easier than using a typical hoe and has the potential to save time -- and your back! The double-wheeled model kept things on track and gave us some stability when working over bumpy areas.
While I haven't tried the Hoss Single Wheel Hoe, I can imagine the two wheels made it more steady, although you'll need to give it a bit more room to work. Both models have Amish-crafted hardwood handles and powder-coated wheels that deter rust.
Hoss Wheel Hoe Review: Accessories
Several accessories come with this deluxe model. (It includes a pair of weeding blades and 4 cultivator teeth and it also includes the shorter axle for converting back to single wheel version.) We, unfortunately, were unable to use the weeding blades on too much of the garden, due to an issue here on the farm. The areas that we could use the weeding blades look FANTASTIC! This is definitely one of the top wheel hoe attachments you can get for weed control.
No weeds between rows, which is probably why our yield on our green beans has been so high. I'm also looking forward to seeing how our potatoes (which were also weeded with the hoe and blades) will do this year. It was certainly easier than pulling large weeds by hand later in the season.
We also invested in a seeder attachment. It was designed to keep us from stooping down and hand-seeding everything (or mess around with homemade seed tape, plus it is set up to evenly space the seeds.
We had a little difficulty setting this up at first. In fact, my husband was convinced that it wasn't seeding at all -- until we found 2 incomplete rows of green beans mixed in with our tomatoes a week later. It turns out that it did an amazing job of planting and spacing the seeds; we just didn't realize how the dirt would lay over the seeds after we passed through.
I think we will definitely master this accessory for next year. Our first time was a bit of a learning curve, and we would test it on the sidewalk (like they said in the directions.) Our eagerness to get the seeds into the ground clouded our judgment to work on our art.
Overall, we're happy campers with the money we spent to do the Hoss Wheel Hoe review. (Sample was NOT provided.)
It's something that we have used every season in our vegetable garden since we first gave it a try in 2013! Even with hard wear and tear, it's in great condition and cleans up nicely. You get what you pay for with this premium, high-quality implement for home gardeners that truly delivers on saving time and energy.
The HOSS Wheel Hoe comes in a variety of models, and there is about every accessory you could need for your garden. It's a solid investment that I'm glad we made. For the serious gardener, homesteader, or small hobby farmer, it's perhaps the only way we've found to manage the in-ground garden.
While we'll continue to use raised beds for about half of our harvest, this makes the ground tending much easier on our backs and gives us some motivation to keep up on the day-to-day of garden maintenance. It's our preferred garden tool for having kids help out in the garden when they aren't quite ready for power tools or tillers.
If nothing else, it may make you slightly less apprehensive about cultivating and weeding your garden -- even if you're a newbie at using garden tools.
You can find the entire line of products mentioned in our HOSS Wheel Hoe review here.
HOSS Wheel Hoe FAQs
What is the difference between the HOSS wheel hoe and the HOSS double wheel hoe?
Both products offer durable construction and a simple design, but the HOSS double wheel hoe has two round wheels, while the single has just one. HOSS makes it easy to make your existing single wheel hoe more powerful with their Double Wheel Conversion Kit.
What is the warranty coverage on a HOSS Wheel hoe?
HOSS offers a one-year warranty that covers defects in workmanship or materials, it goes in effect on the date of purchase. Discoloration caused by light or chemicals is not covered. If HOSS can't repair your item, they will replace it with the same product or one of similar price and composition. They may also refund your money, if you choose.
How can I use my HOSS Wheel hoe warranty?
Call HOSS Tools at 1-888-672-5536 within one year from date of purchase.
What wheel hoe attachments are available?
HOSS has an extensive selection of accessories and attachments for their wheel hoes, as well as other useful garden items. They expand their offerings every year, but some of the more exciting products include the drip tape layer attachment and a wheel hoe success kit with oil, wrench, sander, and file to help you keep your HOSS Wheel Hoes well-maintained.
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