It may still be too cold outdoors for hoeing. Growth is not yet vigorous and the soil may still be too damp. However, in a polytunnel conditions are drier and warmer. So, while doing my organic work experience in Co. Clare with Jim Cronin, hoeing in the tunnels was all in a day’s work.
Jim asked us to hoe the paths as well as the raised beds. He explained that the loose soil on the paths can afterwards be pushed up on to the beds. This all helps to add more friable fertile soil to the beds, where it can be used by the plants being grown.
Hoeing is not only about weed control then, it also gets air in to the soil surface to spur on soil activity and plant growth. However, the commonly seen wooden sides used to edge raised beds would stimey this path hoeing idea. I had thought about putting in wooden edges on our own raised beds in Tacumshin, when we get a polytunnel
Hoeing paths & raised beds keeps all weed free, but also shifts fertile loose soil to when veg are growing.
. Now I have a positive reason not to go to all that trouble – thanks Jim!
