The long-handled tool with a flat blade used to loosen soil and remove weeds is a hoe. Hoes are among the oldest and most versatile tools in agriculture and horticulture.
A traditional draw hoe has a blade set roughly at a right angle to its shaft. Gardeners pull it toward themselves to break up soil, shape planting beds, make shallow furrows, or mound soil around plants. A hoe can also help harvest root crops such as potatoes. Its effectiveness depends on working at a suitable depth without damaging plant roots.
Scuffle hoes are designed primarily for weeding and surface cultivation. Dutch hoes and hoop hoes are pushed or pulled through the top few centimetres of soil, cutting weed roots just below the surface. A spade and shovel are better suited to digging or moving larger amounts of soil, while a rake gathers and levels loose material rather than cutting weeds.