Weed All About it!

10 Lawn Care Tips That Are Guaranteed To Save You Time and Effort

William Shakespeare hated weeds, describing them as plants that "without profit suck the soil's fertility from wholesome flowers." Folks today aren't exactly fond of the little buggers either. But now, homeowners who are fed up with the arduous task of pulling weeds can rest a little easier, thanks to new techniques, clever tips and innovative tools.

Here are 10 tips to make pulling weeds less of a backbreaking, sweat-inducing affair, including:

• It's much easier to remove a weed when the soil is moist. Wait until after a light rain to maximize your effort.
  
• Once you pick a weed, don't let it lie on the grass, or it may spread its seeds and sprout a whole new generation of weeds.
  
• For best results, remove unwanted weeds when the bloom is still yellow, before new seeds are spread. Fall is also an excellent time to pull weeds.  They're more vulnerable as they store up nutrients in their roots for the winter.
  
• Allowing your lawn to grow a little taller than usual helps crowd out weeds. Dandelions and other common broadleaf weeds can't compete with vigorously growing grass plants.
  
• Keep in mind that many weeds grow when soil becomes compacted, such as on play areas or lawns with regular foot traffic.
  
• Weeds move in when grass is sparse. If shade prevents grass growth, consider laying shade-tolerant groundcovers instead, such as bark mulch or gravel over landscaping fabric.
  
• If you don't get the root, you don't have the weed.
  
• Adding two inches of peat moss to the top six inches of dirt in your garden makes pulling weeds easier because it loosens the soil.
  
• Try to avoid damaging the turf or leaving a large divot when removing weeds. If the removal of a large weed does leave a gap in the lawn, level the soil and sprinkle grass seed into the bare spot before another weed gets a chance to germinate.
  
• When looking for a weed-pulling tool, prevent stress on your back by choosing one that doesn't require bending or stooping.

The Weed Hound weeding tool has received significant praise from homeowners and lawn and garden professionals alike, primarily for its easy-to-use design and unique method of pulling weeds.

It's designed much like a miniature tree mover or "tree spade." The Weed Hound has six little steel tines that go into the ground and grab the roots of the weed, lock on and then pull the weed out by its root. The weed is then easily expelled and the user of the tool can move on to the next weed. It's possible to pull over 100 weeds in just 15 minutes.