How to Hand Weed Your Garden
Updated: Sep. 28, 2018
Weeding a garden can be one of the most dreaded tasks a gardener faces. Because it’s so unpleasant many gardeners will put it off for weeks, which allows the weeds to grow out of control, increasing the amount of work that will have to be done. The reason weeds are so frowned upon in the garden is because they soak up the good nutrients your plants need to grow strong and healthy. There are different ways to weed your garden, but let’s take a look a the most popular: Hand weeding.
Few gardening projects are as satisfying as removing every last weed from a row of vegetables or a bed of flowers. If you schedule the job so you can do it in nice weather, weeding can even be enjoyable.Be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands, and have a roomy pail or wheelbarrow handy to carry away the pulled plants. If the weeds you pull aren’t holding seeds, you can leave them on the soil surface as mulch.
-
Buy a Dandelion Digger:
Buy a dandelion digger, which has a sharp, notched end that will pry up stubborn weeds with taproots.You can also buy weeding tools with hoe-like blades and short handles, which are good for slicing weeds off below the surface.
-
Water Before Weeding:
Water before weeding. Weeds are easier to pull with their root systems intact if the soil is moist.Also, neighbouring plants are less likely to be damaged when the soil is damp.
-
Take it All:
Take it all. Be sure to remove any part of the weed that can regenerate. Some weeds, such as quackgrass and bindweed, have buds on their roots that can grow into new plants.
-
Sprinkle Salt on Weeds:
Sprinkle salt on weeds that sprout in paved areas or wild patches. But don’t use it around desirable plants, because it can injure their roots.
-
Pour it On:
Drench weeds growing up through the cracks in paving stones or bricks with boiling water. Some old-time gardeners insist that water from boiled potatoes is even more effective.The safest way to carry boiling water is in a teakettle with a capped spout.
