Great video Dave and if you didn't have a helper, maybe have a cart or big wheelbarrow close by you could fling the weeds into.

Skim and fling, skim and fling! I can do this!
It will be an uphill battle because of the slope of the backyard, but I can see even that could be in my favor. I'm having a battle with mostly mint; with this idea and some cardboard, I might win.

Dave - You sharpen your shovel with an electric sander????? Did I read that right? If so, please video-tape it and share! I never, ever thought to sharpen a tool with a sander. I must be living in the dark ages or something .....

beckygardener said:Something I am wondering about ....

In my yard here in Florida, we have all kinds of weeds, too. I have found that if I do NOT pull the entire root system out, many times the weeds come back from the roots left behind. Does your method work for such weeds? Some of my weeds have a runner root system, some just have roots like most plants, and some have tubers.

Yes, Becky.
We do have some awful tuberous and deep weeds here. Pennywort is the first to come to my mind. I sometimes dig a foot or more deep to TRY and eradicate those long stringy white roots...

Dang, I use a file to sharpen my shovel, hoes and machete. Electricity...hmmm, this may catch on.

I need a helper. Oh, and a yard! Apartment living while I am in school is easy because I have no weeds.

Great video! I like seeing your family hard at work, Dave. And I love the sharp shovel idea!

I'm going to post this on my Pinterest garden page.

I had my husband watch your video (after I did, of course). And then got him going to weed. Timely advice! Thanks for the simple, yet effective and time saving technique. Perfect timing!!

I have shovels and more weeds that I care to talk about. Get my son busy sharpening a shovel and see what progress I can make in my yard. Thanks for the tip Dave. Haven't much time to pull weeds due to being a caretaker for a very ill hubby, but this will help a lot better than trying to get down on my knees.

I just stripped about 16-20 sq.' of unused space by the GH. I used Dave's method, using a sharp flat shovel. Most of it was volunteer wild grasses and clover, with a few other things. It worked absolutely great, especially in that good soil. I simply had to gather up the mess with a digging fork and toss it into a cart. I was concerned about losing soil, but very little stayed on since we are rather dry here now.

Okay, I am going to go ahead and get Dave's shovel. All of my shovels are really worn. @dave I cannot find from you link, price or even a link to order the shovel.

Arlene, the link takes you to the manufacturer's page, but it looks like you have to find a retail dealer to get it.
http://www.wwmfg.com/default.a...

i searched with the model number and found these links:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0004L7QHK/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0004L7QHK/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0004L7QHK/

Duh, I'm a bit slow tonight. Thanks for the links Debra!

Yeah they are crazy expensive.

I also recently bought this balling shovel and I it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0004L7QIE/

Well, I sent the link to my son and he told me he would buy it for me since my Dave thought it was too expensive! Besides, he'll get good use out of it since where I'll use it will be on his farm!

I could use it tomorrow though, so I guess I'll have to see if we can use the grinder on one of the old ones until it arrives. I'd better go back and look at how to sharpen a shovel.

The other nice thing is that the WW shovels come already sharp.

I took about 10 mins. on one of my best flat spades, with my 41/2" angle grinder, and it lasted well through the job. You only have to be careful not to draw the temper, by overheating. I would expect to be able to dress it up with stout dbl. cut file. The bit of Scot in me does not like WW prices.

While sharpening, I keep a bucket of water next to me and frequently dip the tool into the water to keep it cool. You definitely don't want to mess with the temper.

I hear you about the cost!!

It took me awhile, but I finally have faced the facts that "A cheap tool [really] is an expensive tool".