Easier Than Hand Pulling: The Corkscrew-Like Tool For Removing Weeds

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Hand pulling can be a polarizing experience for homeowners. Some gardeners may love the many benefits of hand pulling, from the physical activity to the ability to get hands-on in the garden without the need for chemicals. Others may find the labor involved in hand pulling weeds not worth the benefits. Fortunately, with a simple corkscrew-like tool, you'll reap the benefits of a manual weed removal strategy in your yard without the kneeling and bending of hand pulling — even if you have deep-rooted weeds.

The DeWit Corkscrew Weeder is just over 22 inches in length, with an ash wood handle and tempered boron steel corkscrew. However, you can buy a larger option with a 40-inch handle. The short-handled weeder, as of the time of writing, is listed for $54.99 on Amazon, while the long-handled variant is $68.17.

This tool is designed for removing deep-rooted plants, such as dandelions and thistles. Although dandelions are a pollinator-friendly plant, if you're trying to cultivate a more manicured landscape, you may prefer their absence in your yard. However, because of their deep taproot, it's important to choose a tool that can extract the entire plant. Otherwise, if the taproot is left intact with access to nutrients, it can easily regrow in your yard. While the DeWit corkscrew weeder is designed specifically with the removal of these plants in mind, it can also adds benefits as an aerator to break up compacted soil in small sections, helping it serve double-duty in your garden.

Choosing a corkscrew-type weeder over hand pulling weeds or spraying them comes with many benefits. It allows you to choose the specific plants you want to naturally remove from your yard, an advantage over chemical means of removal, while reducing some of the stooping, crouching, and labor involved in hand pulling. Before you can reap the benefits of the DeWit corkscrew weeder, you'll need to learn the right way to use this tool. Overall, the process is similar to opening a bottle with a cork. Put the corkscrew directly over the weed, and insert the tool enough to twist clockwise around the plant and dig into the earth. Then, just pull the tool up to remove the tool (and the plant roots) from the ground.

Based on reviews on Amazon's website, there are a few key details to keep in mind to get the best results with the DeWit corkscrew weeder. One reviewer, who left a 5-star review, noted that it's important not to press down on the handle to insert this weeder into the ground so as to avoid damaging the screw. They also noted it's best to unscrew the tool from the ground after securing the weed rather than pulling straight up. Other reviewers found that it could require more labor on your end in harder soils, with one stating that it worked better in loose soil specifically. You may wish to water your lawn beforehand to soften the soil for a more accessible weeding process.