Having a well-maintained home garden can help save money on grocery bills. However, you need to maintain it properly to get maximum harvests. One of the maintenance practices that you need to master is weeding. Over time unwanted plants that are of no benefit to you will grow in the garden. It is imperative to control them to promote growth of the beneficial plants such as vegetables.
Here are some tips to help you choose the right tool to use when weeding.
Planting Pattern
For closely spaced crops, use a short-handed weeding tool to avoid cutting or harming the beneficial plants as you get rid of the weeds. When using this kind of tool, you might have to bend over, or get on your knees to carefully cut and uproot only the weeds. On the other hand, long handed tools are an ideal choice if the plants are widely spaced.
Usability
To get rid of the weeds effectively, you should have full control of the tool that you are using. Based on this fact, consider whether the tool is easy to use. Some of the questions that you should ask yourself include; do I have the dexterity to use it properly? Does it allow me to work in a comfortable position?
Weeding Capability
Different manufacturers use varying designs to make their products. The right tool should be able to uproot both short and deep-rooted weeds from your garden, especially the tap rooted weeds. More importantly, it should be able to pull out the entire root without breaking it into pieces to prevent them from sprouting in the future.
Maintenance
To prevent rusting, clean the tools after weeding, and store them in a dry and well-ventilated area. Different tools require different maintenance. There are some that need to be lubricated and sharpened from time to time. Ideally, you should choose a tool that you can maintain and derive maximum utility from.
Finally, learn how the weeds in your garden grow. Weeds have many different roots systems, and knowing the weeds you are dealing with will help you to select the right tool.
