Best Weeding Tools for Your Yard

The best approach to weeding in your yard is to proactively look for ways to reduce weeds. These methods include starting with weed free seed products and cleaning tools before using to ensure they aren’t transporting weed seeds. Landscape fabric can be used to suppress weeds, but keep in mind that wind-blown seeds will germinate in the soil placed on top of the fabric.

Applying herbicide is another measure, although you’ll want to use sparingly and make sure it won’t harm helpful insects and other plants. Despite these measures, it’s almost impossible to keep weeds out of your lawn. When you do spot them, a weed puller tool can help you remove them quickly and easily.

There are two different types of weeding tools. A stand-up weeding tool is ideal if you have a back injury or difficulty bending over. These weed puller tools have a long handle so you can perform your task while standing. Because you don’t have to keep bending over to weed, you can move quickly through your yard. While dandelion weeders and hoes are common stand-up weeding tools, almost every type of weeding tool can also be purchased as a stand-up tool.

Hand weeding tools are handy if you're able to bend down to your knees and weed. The best hand weeding tools let you dig deep underneath a weed to loosen and pull out the weed by its roots. They also help break through compacted soil. These tools are easy to store in a container or drawer because of their short handles.

Tip: Try a garden kneeling bench or a foam pad to protect your knees while working in the garden.

The best weeding tools are available in a variety of shapes designed for specific uses.

A dandelion weeder, also known as a puller, is a tool with a forked blade. When inserted into the soil underneath the weed, the blade pulls the plant and taproot out. A puller with a curved design makes weed removal easier. This tool can also pull out clusters of weeds at one time.

A cutter simply cuts weeds to the ground. The taproots are still in place, but after a few trimmings, they usually die off.

A cultivator looks like a fork with bent tines. Use it as a weed puller tool to break up compacted soil and loosen weed roots.

A Japanese weeding sickle is a tool with a sharp curved blade that lets you remove weeds with precision, preventing any damage to nearby plants. It both cuts and digs to remove weeds.

A hori hori, or digging knife, is sharp on both sides of the blade and features a pointed end. This multi-purpose tool lets you cut away hard, stubborn roots. It has a larger blade than a gardening knife so that you can reach roots growing deep into the soil.

A hoe is great for chopping around perennials and shrubs. A half-moon hoe, or goose neck hoe, has a half-moon shape that cuts through weeds just below the surface. You can use the corner of the hoe as a weed remover tool, and can even dig down to remove their roots.

A digging fork looks like a pitchfork with four pointed tines. This type of weed remover tool makes it easy to dig out weeds.

Step-and-twist weeders are stand-up weed puller tools with a claw, knife blades or a saw-toothed cylinder at the end. Push the tool into the ground with your foot, turning if needed, and then pull to grab the weed and its root from the ground.

Before making a purchase, consider the materials used to make a weeder tool. Tools with grips are easier to control and keep your hand from slipping off the tool during use.

The shank is the handle of the weeder tool. Weeding tools with plastic shanks are inexpensive but more prone to break. Metal shanks are long-lasting and absorb vibrations. Wood shanks are durable but won’t last as long as a metal shank.

There are several garden accessories you can buy to make weeding easier.

A garden seat is exactly that—a seat you can use in your garden or yard. A stationary seat is low to the ground, making it easy to bend over and weed or plant. Some garden seats have wheels so you can roll from site to site. Others have tall handles so you can move them around while standing up.

A garden kneeler has side handles to use for lowering yourself down to the padded kneeler. It keeps clothes clean (especially knees) while gardening. A simple version of a kneeler is a padded cushion you can move around and use underneath your knees while gardening.

A garden cart is a wagon for moving garden tools and materials around your yard. Garden carts generally have a flat bed that makes it easier to load materials onto it. They also have more stability than wheelbarrows. Some can be folded up for storage.

After use, rinse your weeder tools thoroughly to remove dirt. For stubborn stains, sap and dirt, scrub with a wire brush. This also prevents you from spreading weeds throughout your yard. When completely dry, store by hanging up in a cool, dry area. For tools with blades, you can mix sand and mineral oil together, place in a bucket and then push the blades into the sand for storage. To maintain your tools, oil wood handles and sharpen blades as needed to keep them ready to use.

Finally, it’s best to weed just after rain, when the ground is wet and soil is looser. Weed in the cool of the day to avoid sunstroke and overheating. It’s also important to dispose of weeds in a compost bin or trash. If you throw them in the woods or in a hidden part of your yard, they could easily spread.