Hoe

Spraying Spade 1990s

As bananas have a very shallow root system, they dislike weeds. Keeping weeds under control was a fulltime job for farmers. In the early days it was all done by hand – chipping and hoeing, dawn to dusk. Local banana farmer and innovator Ian Hamey invented this spraying spade, a de-suckering gouge, in the early 1990s when there was an outbreak of beetle borers, the “dreaded enemy” of all banana growers. Beetle borers are attracted to the fresh sap the plant exudes when banana suckers are cut off and attack the corm tissue. Ian used the spade together with a backpack to spray the sap areas with pesticide. 

Metal spraying spade, head and handle one piece, yellow handle is hollow. At hand end, attachment to connect to liquid; black rubber tube comes out 81cm down to meet a metal piece at back. Blade curve from handle makes it below handle, slanted back.

Ian Hamey designed and manufactured this implement to use on his banana farm.

[The hoe pictured is an unrelated object.]