Rakes & Hoes

Keep your garden and landscapes weed-free and tidy with our collection of garden hoes and garden rakes. Here at Cromwell, we know the value of quality tools, and gardening tools are no exception. We carefully select our range of garden tools with durability and performance in mind, from market-leading brands, like Spear & Jackson®, Bulldog®, Carters®, and our own brand, Rutland®. Explore Outdoor & Gardening to see our range.

What are garden rakes & garden hoes?

Garden rakes and garden hoes are essential tools for maintaining a healthy and well-organised garden. Garden Rakes help with collecting leaves, debris, and levelling soil to make it easy to prepare garden beds and maintain a neat appearance.
Garden Hoes are crucial for weeding, cultivating soil and breaking up compacted dirt to allow for better aeration, soil preparation and effective removal of unwanted plants.
Together these tools enhance garden care by improving soil structure, aiding in weed control, and ensuring an even and tidy landscape.

Garden rakes & garden hoe types

There are a variety of rake and hoe types available. Each designed to address specific tasks and enhance efficiency in garden maintenance and landscaping.

Garden rakes

• Metal rakes   -   These rakes are made with sharp ends to break down and move soil for levelling and preparing seed beds. Sometimes used for scarifying a lawn, they're not recommended for removing leaves and general debris from lawns.
• Rubber rakes   -   Rubber is a gentler option than the metal rakes and will remove leaves and clippings from lawns with little damage. They're also ideal for moving loose soil in planting beds and will drag wet leaves on patios and driveways for composting.
• Thatching rake   -   These are sharp, two-sided rakes with one flat side and the other curved. Typically, adjustable to determine the depth of thatching, the flat side is used for removing moss and dead bits of grass, while the curved side can be used to resurface areas of lawn and prepare drills for resowing grass seed.
• Spring rake   -   Sometimes called a springbok or a leaf rake, the fan-shaped head makes it ideal for raking leaves and general lightweight debris from any surface in the garden. They're available in a choice of metal or plastic and can only be used in one direction, that is, pulling towards the operator.

Garden Hoes

• Dutch hoe   -   This type of hoe works in a pushing motion and removes young surface weeds quickly and easily
• Draw hoe   -    Also known as a garden hoe or standard hoe has a blade perpendicular to the handle and is used for digging, turning soil and creating lines, typically with a pulling motion toward the gardener
• Stirrup hoe   -   The head of this style of hoe is shaped like a stirrup and is sometimes called a loop hoe. It's a great tool for removing shallow-rooted weeds quickly and easily
• Chipping hoe   -   The most commonly used hoe, this type chops through soil to break down clumps and remove deep-rooted weeds

Considerations when choosing garden rakes & garden hoes

• Task/Application - Consider the tool type most suitable for your application: A rake collects leaves and spreads soil; hoes are ideal for weeding or breaking up compacted dirt; a cultivator aerates soil, mixes compost and removes small weeds; A spazzle is perfect for levelling various materials.
• Handle Material - Consider the handle material. Aluminium handles are lightweight and balance the head of the tool, while wooden handles are heavier, but easier to maintain
• Tine Material - Select the tine material dependant on the durability and the type of debris or soil you'll be working with, select from metal, wood or plastic
• Number of Tines - Consider the application, for rakes a higher number of tines is ideal for finer debris, while fewer tines are better for handling larger materials
• Head Width - A wider head covers more ground faster, ideal for large areas, whereas a narrower head offers better control in tight spaces
• Handle Length - A longer handle provides greater leverage and reach, which is helpful for larger tasks, while a shorter handle is easier to manoeuvre in confined spaces
• Shaft Material -The material the shaft is made from affects the strength, weight and durability of the tool, consider the most suitable rake or hoe based on the specific task and your comfort

FAQs

Are metal or plastic rakes better?

These types of rakes are designed for different jobs, and both perform well. Plastic rakes or leaf rakes excel at collecting lightweight debris and fallen leaves, while metal rakes effectively level and move soil, compost, and gravel.

What should I look for in a garden hoe?

Choose a garden hoe based on the task you need it for. A hoe that works in a pull and push motion with remove medium-rooted to surface weeds and will help to break down medium clumps of soil to give your planting beds a neat and tidy look. For deep, more established weeds, or a weed-ridden area, a chipping hoe is the best. The downward motion of this type of hoe allows for controlled use depending on the type of area you're working on.