Lemken-owned hoeing specialist Steketee has developed a means of mechanical weeding in ridged crops such as potatoes and carrots.

The EC-Ridger is designed for a 75cm row width and carries hoeing discs to cut any weeds on the top and sides of the ridge, spring tines to loosen between the ridges, and ridging bodies to return them to their original shape.

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There are three models available, starting with the EC-Ridger 5. This can be front- or rear-mounted, and features lightweight, basic elements for removing weeds from the tops and sides of the ridges. As such, it is suitable for light soils and small crops that require little ridging.

The mid-range “7” is rear-mounted and comes with the option of a leaf guard to prevent crop damage or burial when hoeing and reridging. Ridging bodies can be replaced by discs for use in forgiving soils, and a subsoiler can be fitted, too.

The top-of-the-range “9” derivative is more adaptable. Tool modules that can be fitted or removed include hoeing blades and discs, spring tines, ridging discs and ridging shares, plus a subsoiler.

A quick-change system apparently makes it easy to switch between the individual elements to suit the conditions.