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How to Weed a Flowerbed by Hand or with Garden Tools

Weeding, a much-maligned yet necessary chore to maintain any flowerbed requires vigilance and perseverance. Plants are called weeds when they are growing where they are unwanted or their characteristics are not valued. Under some circumstances, weeds can be beneficial plants.

When learning how to weed a flowering plant bed, understanding the plant weeds to be tackled and knowing the range of effective techniques to rid the garden of them are the first steps. There are two mechanical ways gardeners can remove weeds, with their own fingers or by using a weeding tool.

Pulling Weeds by Hand

After identifying a weed to pull out of the ground, grab the weed between the thumb and index finger, at the base where the stem is at, or just below, soil level and pull. Weeds are easier and more successfully removed when less developed. Successfully pulling a weed means the root came out with the top portion of the plant.

Pulling weeds by hand can be a messy job especially when there are a lot covering a garden bed. Gardeners can wear gloves but others prefer to use hand garden tools to remove many weeds.

Hand Garden Tools for Removing Weeds

Hand garden tools such as hoes, multi-pronged forks or dandelion weeders are effective at removing weeds from a flower garden. The tools are used to get under a weed’s roots or by disrupting them at the soil surface. Ergonomically designed weeding tools with longer cushioned handles are even better for frequent use.

Garden hoes and forks will disturb the weeds, sometimes cutting them off at the base of the stem. The tools should be frequently used for best results.

The dandelion weeder is a hand tool designed specifically to remove its namesake from the ground. Pushing the tool down and leveraging it to pull the weed up and out makes it useful for larger dandelions. However, it is best to remove all weeds before they are full grown flowering plants.

Identifying Weeds from Flowering Plants

Among plants in a flower garden, especially early in the growing season as new plants emerge from the ground, it can be a challenge separating weed seedlings from young flowering plants. This is especially evident where the desired plants have reseeded themselves and are sprouting.

Gardeners may want to wait until the differences between the plants become more visible. With practice and patience, gardeners will learn which plants are unwanted weeds in their garden.

Why Weed a Garden Filled with Flowerbeds

Gardeners want to remove weeds from flowerbeds. Weeds damage the ornamental plants, create an unsightly appearance and grow quickly, rapidly taking over beloved flowers. Weeds crowd out and suck up nutrients and water that would be otherwise used by the plants.

Flowerbeds require maintenance to keep them looking good and growing healthy. Removing weed plants is one component in a plant maintenance plan.

Many gardeners use the weeding chore as a way to spend more time in the garden, relieving stress while accomplishing a necessary part of gardening.

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