what's your favorite weeding tool?

[DonnaMarieNJ]

What I'm looking for is hand held, I guess - more control that way.

I also saw the tool that you step on and twist, and it pulls up the weed, like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Uproot...s=weeding+tool


and then I also saw in amazon the torch (!) to "burn off your weeds", etc.:

http://www.amazon.com/Bernzomatic-19...ywords=weeding

But what I REALLY want is something to help me pull the weeds IN BETWEEN the tomato plants, so it has to be a bit narrower. Hand held comfortable handle.

What is your favorite weeding tool and why?

Thanks in advance and let me know if those tools I mentioned above are worth it. Thanks!!!

Donna

[Worth1]

Roundup.

Worth

[gssgarden]

My Daughter!!


Greg

my fingers

After more than 40 years on the same half acre which I hand-dug to get rid of all the couch grass, I don't get weeds unless I bring in some soil or compost. The trick (after all the grass rhizomes were removed) was to do a quick all-over job on whatever weed was getting ready to flower, ignoring all others until they started making buds. So, I've had 40 years of no weeds setting seed.

This is not to say that I don't have plants that want to take over - all of them natives like salmon berry, thimbleberry, trailing blackberry, blackcaps, Oregon grape etc.

[Cole_Robbie]

I like a hoe that I have just sharpened with an angle grinder.

[KarenO]

a needle weeder and a small loop hoe for fine work around plants in the garden or flower beds. Not sure how I ever lived without that loop hoe since I can do almost all of my weeding, even close to plants while standing as opposed to crouching or kneeling
KarenO

[DavidP]

I like an onion hoe, designed for working in close to plants, works great for raised beds.

http://www.gardentoolcompany.com/hal...e-by-sneeboer/

[habitat_gardener]

Hori hori. I go after mostly perennial weeds such as bindweed and bermuda grass in compacted paths, so I like a tool that gives me some leverage.

For small annuals in my raised beds, I use my fingers.

[taboule]

Originally Posted by KarenO

a needle weeder ......
KarenO

That is the best and life got easier when I found one at a flee market for $1, almost new. From a store these nice tools cost a pretty penny -still worth it.

[Fred Hempel]

I agree with Karen. Hoop Hoe

I bought 4 yesterday -- mainly because I have one guy who uses too much "forward" action. But, he's a good worker, so I let him wear out hoes without too much protest.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ames-54-i...5800/204476206

Originally Posted by KarenO

a needle weeder and a small loop hoe for fine work around plants in the garden or flower beds. Not sure how I ever lived without that loop hoe since I can do almost all of my weeding, even close to plants while standing as opposed to crouching or kneeling
KarenO

[Lorri D]

I most like my circle hoe. I have two styles a long handled one and a short handled one. A nursery owner told me they were made by hand in my old city. The guy drew enough attention and success that he created a successful small business in the area. Then he said it became too expensive to make them in the U.S. and he shut down and you couldn't find them anywhere after that. A couple years ago, I heard he got some China contracts to make them over there. Lorri D

[b54red]

Bar none the best are my three grown sons. Of course they are not around very often now so Roundup does all the work between my raised beds. I use a shuffle hoe and a small cultivator hoe for the beds if they can't be easily pulled or there are too many for that much stooping. Cypress mulch makes weeding very easy as there are so few that can grow through it.

Bill

[snippits]

Never will go back to a traditional hoe after using a scuffle hoe. The scuffle hoe cuts on the push and pull, and it can glide just right under the soil line. And because of the angled head, I can stand upright and weed. It is like night and day faster than a traditional hoe.

I got a no name scuffle hoe locally, and the head was made in Brazil. Some guy buys the heads directly from Brazil, and then he puts handles on them, and then sells them to the hardware stores and farm supplies. It's a carbon steel head, and a mill file will put a very good sharp edge on it. Paid $11 last year for it out the door.

[Douglas14]

My favorite is my hands. I just like the precision of hand weeding. And my garden has plenty of weed seeds. I also like mulch as a preventative measure.

[peppero]

My hands work best in my mulched, raised bed garden.


jon