Weeding tools are much improved. Ask somebody is taking care of a garden or lawn: When it comes to backyard headaches, weed removal is at the top of their list. Just a few years ago, pulling weeds meant getting down on your hands and knees and scratching at the little buggers with a weeding fork. But now, the experts have developed several tips, procedures and weeding tools to choose from that make killing weeds and prevention a bit less of a backbreaking pain. Here's a sample of a bit of the most effective advice:
Keep your lawn strong. A lush lawn is the first line of defense against weeds. Push out dandelions by being sure your grass is happy and healthy. That means making sure your lawn gets the proper amount of fertilizer and water, and treating disease before it gets too advanced.
Develop the soil. Conditioning the soil is an easy way to cut down on weeds -- and make the ones that do sprout up easier to extract. Using peat moss is a really effective method of getting the soil in better shape. Sprinkle a layer of peat moss over the lawn and lightly spread it around with a rake. This technique, called "top dressing," slowly conditions the lawn over the duration of the season so it's more resistant to thatch and disease - and helps prevent weeds from sprouting. Peat moss also cuts down on the quantity of fertilizer and water a lawn needs. It's also a good addition to the garden. Till two inches of peat moss into the top six inches of soil to help loosen the dirt and make it easier to extract weeds.
Let air and water reach the grass plant. A simple way to keep frequently walked on areas from being compacted -- and weed-friendly -- is to aerate. The basic garden tool called an aerator removes plugs of soil to let air and water penetrate down to the grass plant's roots. A power aerator is costly, but renting one might be a good option if you've got many neighbors who could make use of it. Otherwise, a much less expensive manual aerating tool makes sense for smaller lawns or isolated areas.
Be aware of timing. Go after weeds at an early point in the season before they have a chance to go to seed and spread across a broader area. And removing weeds in late fall is a great way to get a jumpstart on spring yard care. Autumn weeds are more prone to damage as they store up nutrients for the winter.
Wait until it's wet. Pull weeds after the dirt is soft. Don't bother working to yank weeds out of dry soil. It's a lot easier to pull weeds after a light rain, when the dirt is damp.
Choose body-friendly weeding tools. Manufacturers are developing ergonomic, stand-up weeding tools that won't put strain or stress on the body. One tool we especially like is the Rocket Weeder (www.yardbutlerstore.com), which lets you extract weeds while standing upright. You just step down on the foot pedal, tilt the tool and out pops the weed, root and all. Then press a button to expel the weed, and move onto the next one. It's really fun to use, and you will be able to use it to extract dozens or even hundreds of weeds without much work at all. Multi-use gardening tools like a Rotary Cultivator or Twist Tiller can also be good additions to your arsenal in the battle against weeds.
Get the roots. Whichever method you use to extract weeds, be sure to remove every last bit of root, or you'll run the risk of finding the backyard pest grow back even bigger than at first.
The Yard Butler Store sells fine gardening tools including weed pulling tools.