Weeding is probably one of the most disliked gardening tasks, usually because it’s hard work and the job never seems to be finished- remove one weed and two more will spring up in its place. Knowing how to use a weeding tool in your garden and knowing which weeding tool to choose is essential.  

So, what’s the best way to remove weeds from your lawn and garden? 

Weed whacking is an integral component of yard maintenance, especially in the spring and summer. A weed whacker, also known as a weed eater or trimmer, uses a spinning wire to cut overgrown grass and brush in a small area. This may sound a bit intense, but actually, once you know how to take the right safety precautions and use the correct technique, it’s easy and useful to know how to use a weed wacker. 

Reasons to Weed

Whether you are a gardener that likes to keep everything looking perfect or one, like me, that doesn’t necessarily have a design in mind and grows plants that are in season, you will still need to weed your garden from time to time. Here’s why. 

1. Weeding keeps your garden beds tidy and, more importantly, keeps your plants healthy. 
   
2. Weeds inhibit plant growth by competing for moisture and nutrients in the soil. If you don’t weed, your “real” plants may decline or be overrun. 
3. Weeds can ruin the look of your carefully planned garden. Think of yellow dandelions instead of the blue salvia you were expecting to see. 
4. Invasive plants can get out of control. 
5. Once established, weeds are hard to remove without damaging your plants. 

Types of Weeding Tools

While hand pulling is the simplest method, it’s only effective against smaller weeds with shorter roots. It also assumes that you are able to spend extended periods of time on your knees, reaching for and pulling weeds. For anything else, you’ll need a weeding tool of some kind.  

Two Types of Weed Eater Tools 

There are two basic styles of weeding tools – short-handled weeder and long-handled weeder.  

• Short-handled tools are best for working on your knees in tight or closely planted areas.  
• Long-handled tools allow you to stand while weeding and cover a larger area. 

Within these two basic styles, you’ll find a huge variety of designs. Manufacturers have come up with all sorts of tools to remove weeds.  

No tool is perfect for all weeding tasks, so you’ll likely end up with several different types of tools. The key is to find the ones that best allow you to do the kind of weeding that’s necessary for your garden or lawn. 

Here’s what you need to know to choose the best weeding tool for your needs. 

Choosing the Right Weeding Tools

There’s no simple answer on how to complete the process of weeding as fast and easy as possible, however, the best method and/or tool depends on a number of factors: 

How to Prevent Weeds

Although there’s no way to “weed proof” your garden, there are a number of ways to reduce the number and vigor of weeds. Some of the most common methods include: 

• Intensive cropping / planting densely 
  
• Covering the soil with mulch (including organic mulches, such as shredded bark, pine straw, or compost, and inorganic materials, such as gravel, rubber mulch) or a weed-suppressing layer (fabric, plastic) 
• Spreading a chemical weed suppressant on the soil surface 
• Deadheading or removing all weeds before they go to seed 

Still, no matter how diligent you are in trying to prevent weeds, there will always be the ones that “got away” – and you’ll have to find some way to remove those weeds. 

What to look for when buying a weeding tool

When considering a new weeding tool- also known as a weed eater, ask yourself the following questions: 

1. Does this tool allow me to work in a comfortable position? Can I hold it easily?  
   
2. Can it pull out the entire root? How about for weeds with longer or deeper roots (as deep as 6 to 12 inches or greater)? This is especially important for tap rooted weeds – miss even a little piece of root and the weed will spring back quickly. 
3. Will it work for the most common and/or troublesome weeds in my garden? For example, if you have a lot of running grasses, can it pull out the roots without breaking them into little pieces? If dandelions are your problem, can it pull taproots? 
4. Is this weeding tool made with high-quality materials, such as a hickory handle or stainless steel blade? Are the parts held together securely? And does it have a warranty? 
5. Are the cutting or digging edges sharp? Can they be resharpened if needed? 
6. What kind of maintenance does this tool require? Does it need frequent cleaning, lubricating, or sharpening? Am I prepared to do that? 
7. What else can this tool help me with? And if I get this weeding tool, what other tools will I also need to be able to do all the necessary weeding tasks in my garden? 
8. Given all of the above, is this really a tool that I’ll use? Will it make weeding easier, or will it just complicate things? 

Only you can answer these questions and the answers will be different for everyone. 

With so many weed eater (weeding) tools to choose from, use your answers to help guide your buying decisions. I hope these tips on how to use a weeder and learning how to choose a weeding tool is very useful to you.  

Now, if you are looking into starting an indoor garden here are some very helpful tips you will enjoy. You can also read more about how a garden can save you money. 

We hope you enjoy yourself today and keep checking back for ongoing tips, guides and great shopping!