My Favorite Garden Tools--Weeding Tools

The holidays are closing in and you may have gardeners on your gift-giving list. Over the next few days I’ll share some of my favorite tools that your gardening friends and family might find useful. Some of these tools are decades old and still function well for me. I keep most of these special tools in a box just inside the garage door so I can grab and go to the garden.

One of many kinds of hand hoes.

Useful, artful, well-made, good hand feel—desirable qualities for any garden tool in my arsenal. This hand hoe checks off all those boxes. Though it’s about twenty years old, it’s easy to sharpen (and needs that now). I like it for all the reasons listed in the online description below:

A well-balanced and solid tool that feels light to work with—but it is surprisingly strong! The length plus the shape of the head makes it perfect for reaching the center of a raised bed. It's easy to work around and between plants and the sharp blade quickly cuts off weeds just below the surface. Turn the head 90 degrees to dig out deep rooted weeds or to carve a seed row.

Purchase a similar one from Garden Tool Co. or on Amazon. It comes in right- or left-handed versions. If you Google hand hoes you’ll find other types which may be more to your liking. Having the right tool makes weeding less onerous.

I call it a weed digger. Catalogs list as a dandelion weeder.

When I need to dig out a deep rooted weed, this is my tool of choice. It was designed specifically for weeding dandelions with their long tap root. This tool works well on any stubborn, deep-rooted weed. The narrow tip allows you to get into tight spaces without disturbing the surrounding plants. The long, strong steel shaft and v-shaped notch gives you the leverage needed to pry troublesome weeds from the ground.

Find a similar dandelion weeder at Amazon or a local garden center.