This is what I use for getting the tiny weeds from around, in-between semps & sedums.
Old pair of hemostat pliers. I think these are generic hemostats anyway they make excellent tool for weeding when fingers can't get in-between plants. You don't have to lock these, just grasp and pull. The grooves on blades hold weed. If you enlarge pic you can see better.

>> generic hemostats
>> The grooves on blades hold weed.

Thanks for that idea! I don't usually need that much precision, but I would always appreciate a good grip on a weed.

I'll try some needle-nose Vise-Grip pliers I have. They are bigger and cheaper than hemostats, and have very deeply grooved gripping surfaces. I can even "dial in" a specific gap between the jaws so I don't just cut the root where I grip it.



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYD9A/

I must have bought mine at Harbor Freight many years ago: I wouldn't have paid a whole $6 for that!

My favorite weeding tool for big weeds with deep roots is a spike bayonet. It can be plunged deeply into hard rocky soil without much force, then "swizzled around" in a circle so the whole root pops out like an apple core after using a corer.

That would probably work for moss as well. I just spent a lot of time trying to pry out some stray grass that was growing in an established mat of Scotch moss. Took forever, and some I just gave a close haircut to knowing they will grow back.

They really work great like on the Tricolor without tearing off leaves like my fingers did.

I also use a huge-long screwdriver (17") for popping out dandelion, violets, and wild onions.

Great ideas and I just so happen to have all 3 of those improvised gardening tools at my disposal!

Just never considered their use in the garden tool kit. I do keep pliers in the arsenal, from bending/snipping wire to tightening shears and loppers. Gardening for a living I like to keep as much as possible in "the bucket" to avoid trips to the truck.

Another "must have" for working with plastic tarps (especially on windy days or working alone) are the plastic and steel Coleman tent stakes. No more fly-away tarps! One recommended improvement is to hit them with some hi-vis paint. These would also likely serve as the spike bayonet does giving them a bonus feature. Sturdy and reasonably priced too.

Those might be better than my spike bayonet: lighter and the handle looks comfortable.

But mine will NEVER bend!

FWIW, I use straight forceps for planting and fiddling with leaves, including minor pruning, and curved forceps for weeding, they just seem easier for me. I use Crile forceps. I also use serrated bandage scissors for some cutting jobs--cutting a plastic pot off of a rootbound plant, opening bags, etc. They're not my first choice for actual bandage, but I like them for gardening (and clipping bird wings).

I also like this gigantor screwdriver that my father gave me, I use it for weeding or miscellaneous prying or hole-poking.

I use a basket made for silverware for my smallish hand tools--Sharpie marker, chopsticks, forceps, pen knife, etc.

My yard is now dandelion and wild onion free thanks to my giant (17") screwdriver. Only found 2 dandelions yesterday.

@Chickhill, that's impressive. I can't even imagine a dandelion free lawn. I figure I'm on a roll if I can keep the blossoms mowed often enough so they don't set seed (twice last week). If not (this week promises only rainy days), then I just enjoy my jolly yellow meadow.

Bonehead I have a very small yard. For years I spot sprayed & of course killed the whole area. So I started about a month ago every morning w/ my trusty monster screwdriver. I lost count on how many 5 gal. buckets we popped out. Hubby did get in on the act also. Today I found one. We're both retired and I do what I love playing, planting, moving, dividing, sharing, trading and of course having a Flower Yard Sale. Maybe I will get to do the violets, wild strawberries and plantain.
I am Blessed

Well that makes more sense. I have a large and rambling yard with fluid boundaries - depending on who is mowing. I could spend from now to eternity trying to rid the lawn of dandelions, but by the time I got one section done, they'd just be colonizing in another. I rather like them.

I leave dandelions for bee food. Not that I don't have plenty in my beds, just not this early.

I have quite a bit of clover for the honey bees

Clover is def nicer than dandelions. Now I can kill them without guilt.

I am a dandelion hater too. However, my heart was *slightly* softened as I was watching goldfinches pick the seeds off the fluffy heads the other morning. I didn't know goldfinches did that.

I don't really hate them. I would prefer them to not be in my yard. I had one area that was covered and spreading so they are gone along with the green onions. My niece made jelly one year from dandelions.