[Growster...]

Mrs Growster likes to sit next to the 8' by 4' beds, on the right hand side (on plan), and weedthe plants going downhill, as our plots are both on gentle slopes.

I like to garden the opposite way, and like to be on the left-hand side (on plan) going down the bed.

We both share the middle bit of each bed, which is after all, only two feet from each edge, but we reckon we can do a bed in about fifteen minutes, and that includes carting away, and general gruntings from having to keep moving along on our haunches/bumms/knees.

So, the question is, does anyone weed with both hands, like this? We're both right-handed!

 

[RichardA]

I weed with either hand and tend only to put a glove on my left so use that one in particular for nettles. Usually use right hand for secateurs or knife as tend to be in pocket or holster on that side.
R

[Paul Plots]

When weeding by hand I often use both hands at the same time pulling weeds with both independently but sometimes I hold crops (carrots for example) out of the way with my left hand and weed with the right.... unless I'm working along a row where the plants are on my right. In this case my right hand holds the crop's leaves out of the way / up while I hand weed with my left hand. At least I think that's what I do.
  I'm all confusalled now.

Gloves are reserved for tackling nettles and occasionally thistles as I find it hard to grasp little weedy stems between my fingers when I wear gloves.

These days one important piece of kit for me, when hand weeding, are my cheapo spectacles. Without them it's a case of fuzzy guess work and feeling the weed stems rather than always seeing them clearly. With my eye-sight it's all down hill. 

[Trillium]

I usually do both hands, but only with gloves. Have had too many sharp things over the years give me swollen blisters, worse at this time of year as weeds start to die down and you discover prickles you never realized the weeds had.

[Madame Cholet]

yes either hand with a glove handy for prickles.

[Growster...]

I think I prefer hand weeding for accuracy, but a good clean up of the bare bits like the edges always calls for a few clops with 'The Swoe', afterwards.

It's devilish difficult hoeing veg like salsify or leeks, because, however much you try, the leaves all go off in all directions like Ken Dodd's hair, and it is not easy, or quick for that matter!

In fact, to elaborate a little further on working on the slopes we have, it is slightly easier to reach uphill while moving downhill, because it seems a more natural position, especially as I always sit down to weed - the ageing back dictates this...;0)

[allotmentann]

I hand weed all but the deepest rooted weeds and nearly always use my daisy grubber in my right hand and remove the weeds with my left. I absolutely love the daisy grubber, it is my most used small hand tool, there is very little it won't remove. Used upside down it works like a hoe on annuals - but catches the roots between the two prongs so they get removed easily. Right way round I am amazed at the depth of root it can get.  But I have noticed that weeding is one of those jobs where you can swap hands quite easily without finding it uncomfortable.  Interesting you mention sitting to weed, I often wonder what others do, I tend to sit on my haunches, for speed, and because I think it is kinder to the back and knees - but it does give your legs a very good work out! 

[Growster...]

I hand weed all but the deepest rooted weeds and nearly always use my daisy grubber in my right hand and remove the weeds with my left. I absolutely love the daisy grubber, it is my most used small hand tool, there is very little it won't remove. Used upside down it works like a hoe on annuals - but catches the roots between the two prongs so they get removed easily. Right way round I am amazed at the depth of root it can get.  But I have noticed that weeding is one of those jobs where you can swap hands quite easily without finding it uncomfortable.  Interesting you mention sitting to weed, I often wonder what others do, I tend to sit on my haunches, for speed, and because I think it is kinder to the back and knees - but it does give your legs a very good work out! 

Some time ago Ann, there was some enforced interest in 'The Three-height Growster Weeding Platform', on which I could sit at various jobs, and clout weeds (Couch back then), etc!

Of course, I was bullied into providing a photograph of the thing, which was actually just an old woofer speaker with the insides taken out...

Still, we all felt better for a chuckle - well I did...;0)

[allotmentann]

Some time ago Ann, there was some enforced interest in 'The Three-height Growster Weeding Platform', on which I could sit at various jobs, and clout weeds (Couch back then), etc!

Of course, I was bullied into providing a photograph of the thing, which was actually just an old woofer speaker with the insides taken out...

Still, we all felt better for a chuckle - well I did...;0)

 

[Paul Plots]

I hand weed all but the deepest rooted weeds and nearly always use my daisy grubber

The daisy grubber sounds interesting but this is my favourite. I guess it's a cross between an onion hoe and... perhaps a short handled swoe. The point allows for very accurate close-up work and the curved cutting blade (double sided) makes quick work of larger areas. 

[sunshineband]

I use a mini pointed trowel in my right hand and pull out the weeds with my left.

No-one with any sense would let me use any sort of sharp implement with my left hand 

[Growster...]

That looks like a great bit of kit Pail, the accuracy must be much improved on an ordinary onion hoe!

Might try and make one...!

[Growster...]

I use a mini pointed trowel in my right hand and pull out the weeds with my left.

No-one with any sense would let me use any sort of sharp implement with my left hand 

First laugh of the day KC - as usual...;0)

[Amilo]

Oh! you lucky people, I have a brick making type soil and as yet not got it to the stage where weeding is a viable option,

I now have the drainage sorted (tonnes of grit and granite dust) and hopefully get the structure a bit better this winter but at the moment its not possible to get the weed roots up without pulling up the crop with it!

[Alastair-I]

Some time ago Ann, there was some enforced interest in 'The Three-height Growster Weeding Platform', on which I could sit at various jobs, and clout weeds (Couch back then), etc!

Of course, I was bullied into providing a photograph of the thing, which was actually just an old woofer speaker with the insides taken out...

Still, we all felt better for a chuckle - well I did...;0)

I use a beer crate to perch on when hand-weeding onions, any future beds are going in with 18" paths to make sure that a full-size crate will fit! (I have a couple of crates that split in half and are handy for narrow paths).