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Team Hand Weed, or Team Tool Weed?

By Trish
August 7, 2011

There's no question - we gardeners must weed if we want gardens. The question is: Are you on Team Hand-weed or Team Tool-Weed?

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Aug 6, 2011 6:14 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)
Garden Sages Region: Ukraine Native Plants and Wildflowers Xeriscape Organic Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Charter ATP Member Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Dog Lover
Hand weeder here. Once in a while I'll use the very tip of a spade to facilitate the clean removal of all of the root but usually my weeds don't get that far. You see, I'm also a big fan of 3 to 4" of mulch in the form of eucalyptus chips. Not many weeds sprout but like Trish I enjoy walking around surveying the garden & as I go if I see a weed I pluck it up.
I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown
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Aug 6, 2011 6:24 PM CST
Name: Gloria Levely
Sanford Mi. (Zone 5b)
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Roses Peonies Region: Michigan
Lilies Irises Hostas Dog Lover Daylilies Clematis
team hand weed I love to go out and sit on the ground and weed !! I found that when I'm out there no one bothers me ( found that out when my kids were still home ) and its relaxing after work
Gloria
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Aug 6, 2011 7:12 PM CST
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Team Hand Weed for me. Like Gloria I like to sit on the ground and pull weeds. It soothes my spirit to pull weeds. But I will use a tool when I run into a weed they won't come up by hand pulling.
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Aug 6, 2011 7:24 PM CST
Name: Sandy Coffman
Jacksonville, Florida
I helped plan and beta test the plant database. Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: Florida Dog Lover
Birds Butterflies Amaryllis Seed Starter Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Hummingbirder
I am half and half, when I am feeling good I will hand weed but more and more I am going towards the tools--thought if these 2 guys I have been told about do a good job weeding them I will me 0% of both. Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing Rolling on the floor laughing
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Aug 6, 2011 7:28 PM CST
Name: Carol
Santa Ana, ca
Sunset zone 22, USDA zone 10 A.
Bookworm Charter ATP Member Region: California Hummingbirder Orchids Plant Identifier
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
I enjoy hand weeding. I find it relaxing. That being said, there are times when tools are necessary...dandylions in the lawn don't pull, they have to be dug out. Also, I often use a scuffle hoe to reach patches of weed seedlings that are out of reach. For crack weeds and the morningglory growing under my mobile home I bring out the RoundUp! Luckily, I have a small garden! Hilarious!
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Aug 6, 2011 8:41 PM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
Hand weed most of the time, with a garden fork handy to loosen deep roots or big clumps.
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Aug 6, 2011 9:12 PM CST
Plants Admin
Name: Zuzu
Northern California (Zone 9a)
Region: Ukraine Charter ATP Member Region: California Cat Lover Roses Clematis
Irises Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier Garden Sages Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Master Level
I always hand weed, but it can be dangerous. I can't sit down or kneel down while I weed because I've run into a couple of yellowjacket nests in the ground this year and had to jump up and run for my life. Consequently, I bend over and down to pull one weed at a time and sometimes the wrong combination of twisting and bending throws my back out for a couple of days. Dangerous, as I said, but it has to be done.
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Aug 6, 2011 9:59 PM CST
Name: Toni
Denver Metro (Zone 5a)
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
Birds Garden Ideas: Master Level Salvias Garden Procrastinator Irises I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
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Hand weed 100%. Even when I have to go into the roses. I don't like weed forks, they don't work for me at all. But, at the same time, I'm guaranteed to make sure that I have the right plant that I'm pulling up.. I've accidentally "weeded" good plants before. LOL!
Roses are one of my passions! Just opened, my Etsy shop (to fund my rose hobby)! http://www.etsy.com/shop/Tweet...
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Aug 6, 2011 10:05 PM CST
Name: Linda Williams
Medina Co., TX (Zone 8a)
Organic Gardener Bookworm Enjoys or suffers hot summers Charter ATP Member Salvias Herbs
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Not a lot of weeds this year, but have weeded some, mostly with a tool. Unless I water a lot, these days, it's hard to just pull them up without the tool.
I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority. E. B.White
Integrity can never be taken. It can only be given, and I wasn't going to give it up to these people. Gary Mowad
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Aug 6, 2011 10:27 PM CST
Name: Porkpal
Richmond, TX (Zone 9a)
Cat Lover Charter ATP Member Keeper of Poultry I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Dog Lover Keeps Horses
Roses Plant Identifier Farmer Raises cows Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 2
I mostly hand weed except when I use my homemade herbicide wick. It works well under roses and other shrubs - especially on weeds I should have pulled a week or so ago.
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Aug 6, 2011 11:16 PM CST
Name: Lynn
Oregon City, OR (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages I helped plan and beta test the plant database. I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Database Moderator
Forum moderator I helped beta test the first seed swap Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant and/or Seed Trader Garden Ideas: Master Level
I just love these Team Articles. Hurray!

For me it is Team Hand Weed.
I get down on my hands and knees to weed, pulling one or a few at a time, being very careful not to pull up anything that might be a young seedling. I end up looking at the tiny little spiders with their greenish white abdomens, or the wonderful little millipede and watching the bumble bees bumbling.
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Aug 7, 2011 3:01 AM CST
Name: Vicki
North Carolina
I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Forum moderator Region: United States of America
Purslane Garden Art Region: North Carolina Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Master Level Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
I would be Team Both Smiling

Back in the day when we had big gardens, we would run the tiller between the rows and use a hoe around the plants.

Today, I so enjoy being on my knees, pulling weeds and then scruffing up the soil with my hand claw.
NATIONAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION ~ Garden Art ~ Purslane & Portulaca ~
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Aug 7, 2011 3:28 AM CST
Name: June or Nancy-June o
Fort Leonard Wood, MO (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member I sent a postcard to Randy! Garden Art Roses Region: United States of America Container Gardener
Tropicals Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Hummingbirder Birds Orchids Region: Texas
Team Combo here, too. I hoe some places and hand weed others.
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Aug 7, 2011 7:04 AM CST
Name: Pat(rick) George
Finland (previously England)
Birds Butterflies Container Gardener Vegetable Grower Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Both. I hand weed in flower beds; but where I can I use a dutch hoe. Most common weed around here is chickweed. Having shallow fibrous roots it's easy to pull by hand, and you can always use it in salads.
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Aug 7, 2011 7:32 AM CST
Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Region: Ukraine Region: United States of America Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Region: Florida Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Butterflies Bee Lover Hummingbirder Container Gardener
I'm a combination of both "Hand Weeder" and "Tool Weeder". With the sandy soil here in my area of Florida, some weeds are easily extracted by hand ... then there are the stubborn "weeds" like certain vines, ferns and tree seedlings whose roots seem to extend to China ... and a tool has to be used!
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!


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Aug 7, 2011 7:51 AM CST
Name: Lori Morrow
Enid, OK (Zone 6b)
I want them all!
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Daylilies Irises Plant and/or Seed Trader Region: Oklahoma
90% hand weeder here! The other 10% is pig weed and thistles - gotta have tools for those.
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Aug 7, 2011 10:37 AM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
i looked up pig weed. sounds awful. have to use a fork to get at those of the gazillion tree seedlings i missed when babies and easy to pull up. those roots run straight down and deep. Thumbs down
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Aug 7, 2011 10:40 AM CST
Name: Lee
Willis, Texas
Better to give than to git!
Charter ATP Member Region: Texas Region: United States of America Permaculture Birds Hummingbirder
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Butterflies Dog Lover Bulbs Seed Starter Plant and/or Seed Trader
Mostly hand weed for me.......depends on the weed. Weeding my beds by hand......removing crab grass from the yard..... a hoe is easier
How about our baby 3 legged frog?
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Aug 7, 2011 10:43 AM CST
Name: Maridell
Sioux City IA (Zone 4b)
enjoy the moment
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Tip Photographer Cat Lover Garden Ideas: Level 2 Region: United States of America
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Hand weed here.

I should ask my husband this question as he recently "weeded" the growth from bird seed that was dumped on the ground...not only are the weeds gone, but so is all the mulch!!!!
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Aug 7, 2011 4:44 PM CST
Name: Becky (Boo)
Phoenix, AZ 85022
finding joy one day at a time!
Charter ATP Member Forum moderator I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Art Purslane Garden Ideas: Master Level
Region: Southwest Gardening Enjoys or suffers hot summers Region: United States of America Birds Hummingbirder Container Gardener
I weed mostly by hand because I never plan on weeding so don't have a tool at the moment. But tools for the giants that hands won't pull up in the side yard.

I agree with Lynn: these which team articles are fun!
ALL THINGS PLANTS ~ Garden Art ~ Purslane & Portulaca ~
MY CUBITS ~ Trust in the Lord ~
MY WEB SITE ~ Joyful Times Today

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