Why I Love to Pull Weeds

Yes, I love to pull weeds. And I’m not afraid to admit it.

Some of you will judge me. I can hear it already. “You love to pull weeds? You must be insane. That’s what Roundup is for.”

Well, there’s no better way to remove weeds from a garden than to pull the weeds out, roots and all. I will save the discussion of using poisons in the yard where kids and pets play for another story.

Even if you agree with my anti-poison bias, you still might think I’m crazy for enjoying the process of removing weeds.

What Are You, Crazy?

No. I am not crazy. Unless being an avid gardener makes me crazy. But I still think pulling weeds is awesome.

What’s so awesome about going out into the yard and pulling weeds? Here’s my list of Top 5 Reasons Why I Love to Pull Weeds.

Reason 1: I love to pull weeds because I love to dig in the dirt.

There’s something wonderful about digging in the dirt. Just ask a scientist. Digging in the dirt stirs up the microbes in the soil. When you inhale these microbes, your body makes more serotonin. That makes you feel happier. It doesn’t matter if you are planting vegetable seeds or pulling out weeds. You get a nice dose of serotonin either way.

Reason 2: Pulling weeds is very satisfying.  

I like focusing on one weed at a time. I focus on one weed, and I keep digging until I get the entire weed out—roots and all. Each weed pulled is a task completed.

Reason 3: Every time I pull weeds, I make my garden (and the world) a better place.

I am the master of my own domain. Every weed I pull makes Planet Earth more beautiful. Every time a pull a weed, I give my garden plants a better chance to thrive.

Reason 4: Pulling weeds is great exercise.  

Every weed I pull exercises my muscles and improves my fine motor skills. I am literally doing my body good with every unwanted plant I extract from my lawn or garden. It doesn’t matter if I am pulling a dandelion or crabgrass. I am getting a workout.

Reason 5: When I pull weeds, I can see the progress I am making.  

Every time I dig out a weed and drop it into my 5-gallon collection bucket, I can see I am vanquishing my yard’s most persistent enemy. As the bucket begins to fill up, my spirits soar—even as my back and arms get sore. I am winning the battle against weeds!

Of course, I could pull weeds all day long and probably not remove every unwanted plant from my property. This is a war that never seems to end.

But here’s where I start to get philosophical. For every Sonchus asper and Senecio jacobaea I extract, I take a Zen-like pleasure in the simple act of pulling one of my foes from the earth before it can set seed. I have removed a virtual weed seed factory, thereby preventing hundreds—if not thousands—of future horticultural pests. I have changed the landscape and made it easier for the plants I love to grow and prosper.

My lawn, my flowers, and my vegetable plants reward me with their beauty and bounty. And I am energized to keep valiantly pulling the weeds of tomorrow.

Here’s My Favorite Weed Pulling Tool

It’s called the CobraHead Weeder and Cultivator. I find it to be the best tool for digging out weeds—roots and all. The steel blade is tough, and its curved shape really lets me get deep into the soil to pull out weed roots. It’s very satisfying!

CobraHead tools are made by a family company in Wisconsin. The blue handle is molded around the blade so it never comes loose. Plus, the CobraHead Weeder just feels good in my hand.

CobraHead also makes a long-handle weeder (that enables stand-up weeding) and a mini weeder that’s perfect for digging in smaller spaces such as containers. I’ve included links to these tools so you can check them out and buy them on Amazon. Home Garden and Homestead is an Amazon Affiliate Partner, so we earn a small commission (at no cost to you) on qualified purchases. Thanks for supporting this website.

Click here to Read More About CobraHead Weeders.

Happy weeding!