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I just wanted to share that this thing works as advertised. My carpet cleaner told me about it, so I bought one to try it.
I'm used to "miracle" garden tools that don't really work or turn out to be hard to work. This thing, you push the prongs down at the root of the plant. There is a long lever and you move the handle sideways, just a bit, and the lever closes the prongs around the root and levers the weed right out of the ground. You work it standing up straight. Really easy on your back and knees.
I've got these spiny weeds that are covered in clear spines that break off if you just brush against them. Then you can't get them out of your skin because you can't see them. No one wants to touch those things to pull them. Grandpa's weeder levers them right out of the ground, root and all, really easy.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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That reminds me of the tools they use around here to remove the invasive Scotch Broom. I wonder if it's strong enough for those nasty weeds? Have you tried it on Canadian Thistle?
I don't seem to have Canadian thistle here (touch wood). I think it would handle the thistle just fine. Thistle is really sensitive to roundup, which is how I dealt with thistle at my last residence.
Scotch broom, probably not, unless you got it when it was really small. It's just a home gardening tool, not extra heavy duty industrial strength.
It's going to matter about the soil type. I can just push it into the ground. The lever is made to be stepped on to push it into harder ground, but it isn't going to go into rock. It probably isn't suitable to use on my gravel walkways, although I suppose I could give it a try.
It's slower because you are pulling one weed at a time. You can get a lot of weeds pulled if you get down on the ground and use both hands. But if you have bad knees, weeds with thorns, or weeds that break and don't come up by the root, this tool is a dandy.
That reminds me of the tools they use around here to remove the invasive Scotch Broom. I wonder if it's strong enough for those nasty weeds? Have you tried it on Canadian Thistle?
My in-laws passed away and we were working on the house to put it on the market. I had never run into Canadian Thistle and had to look it up when I ran into on a steep hillside in the backyard of this house. That is one of the worst weeds I have ever seen. We would pull all the weeds out on the hill and come back a week later and they would grow back. There had once been ivy on the hill but sumac trees and the Canadian thistle had taken over. I tried various kinds of weed killer but pulling seemed to have the best but only temporary results. If left to grow, some of these weeds got to be over 3 feet tall.
I have one that is very similar. I have to say it's satisfying to use and pretty easy. It works best if the soil is not too dry, otherwise sometimes the root will break off.
I use it almost excluvively on dandelions. The problem is this - with large, established dandelions you can use it but it only pulls out the center and many times it will come back around the hole that you took out. You get rid of the immediate plant but they do raise from the dead. I don't mind the holes, the squirrels do the same thing...ha. But I guess it works better on smaller weeds.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,577 posts, read 81,186,228 times
Reputation: 57813
Quote:
Originally Posted by villageidiot1
My in-laws passed away and we were working on the house to put it on the market. I had never run into Canadian Thistle and had to look it up when I ran into on a steep hillside in the backyard of this house. That is one of the worst weeds I have ever seen. We would pull all the weeds out on the hill and come back a week later and they would grow back. There had once been ivy on the hill but sumac trees and the Canadian thistle had taken over. I tried various kinds of weed killer but pulling seemed to have the best but only temporary results. If left to grow, some of these weeds got to be over 3 feet tall.
Both the C. Thisle and Scotch Broom are at my parents' land in Port Angeles, WA. The thistle will grow back if even a small hunk of root was left. They don't like to use any chemicals because they have so much wildlife there with deer, ducks, quail and other birds, and the occasional bald eagle.
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