These tools are great for fast operations, cutting and throwing soil by the vine into the strip under the vine. A degree of weed control can be achieved but the primary purpose is to open the soil up to the elements and break down any clods.
If weather conditions are favourable, exposed weed roots will wilt and die depending on how well the soil has broken apart in the process. What it can’t do is reach out between the vines and undercut the weeds so further work is needed with other tools such as the Cutmatic or Petalmatic to achieve a complete weed free strip.
The discs can be set at three angles to enable the soil to be thrown in the desired direction and help the flow of tall or difficult weeds through without blocking; it has been found to be particularly good in heavy wet clay. As the Rollhack is just one tool in the armoury it’s possible to combine it with others on the Boisselet tool frame to achieve a successful total weed kill strip in one pass.
These tools can be side, rear or front mounted on the tractor. After consecutive work with a Rollhack it has been found necessary to run through afterwards with the optional Petalmatic head in order to level out the ridge of soil formed around the vines, root out smothered weeds between the vines and pull back soil into the gulley which it has left alongside the vines.
