The right tools make all the difference when it comes to stress-free weeding.

With gardening comes a lot of joy: The pleasure of the planting itself, the thrill of watching seeds germinate, the satisfaction of seeing plants thrive. But also with gardening comes a lot of work: The digging, the watering, the pest control, and, of course, the most dreaded of all garden-related tasks—weeding.

Every gardener knows the drill. You weed in the spring to prepare your beds for planting, and then you weed all summer as your plants grow, and then you weed well into the fall, just to keep things tidy. It feels like, for gardeners, there are three things one can’t escape: death, taxes and weeding as a constant, back-breaking chore.

The good news is: Weeding doesn’t have to be stressful or back-breaking or such a horrible chore at all. Here are 5 tips to help you make your weeding easy and stress-free this gardening season.

Growing up in the suburbs, one may have come to see weeds as the enemy of the lawn- something that has to be removed at all costs. Expensive treatments like chemical herbicides to kill these plants and fertilizers to support turf grass have become the status quo of lawn care in America. However, with the devastating ecological impact of lawn care and development more understood, we should revisit what a weed actually is. A "weed" is defined as a plant that shouldn't be there. However, most plants considered weeds are actually local species that are adapted to the local environment, cause zero impact to humans, and provide much needed food, shelter, and nesting spots for pollinators (whose populations have also suffered). They only got their reputation as "weeds" because they were good at growing in their native environment- kind of silly when you think about it. Milkweed, the host plant for monarch butterflies, one of nature's most beautiful creatures, was viewed as a weed because there were vast areas of them in the way of developments. Their numbers have plummeted due to this bad reputation, which is a major factor the monarchs are also in major trouble. These insects we've come to take for granted growing up may become extinct in our lifetimes, and an important step in saving them is to remove the stigma around milkweed. You can help by planting milkweed in your own yard. The Save Our Monarchs Foundation provides people with free seeds with just a self-addressed envelope.

Plants considered "weeds" provide lawn owners with several benefits. Firstly, they require next to zero maintenance compared to your average turf grass. This saves time, money, and energy you can spend on enjoying your lawn. They may produce beautiful flowers that local pollinators appreciate since these are the plants they have become accustomed to over the past millions of years. Also, they can help with erosion by providing ground cover, as well as reducing water loss thanks to their hardy root systems (grass have shallow roots and can't hold as much). Lastly, they can actually enrich soil with nitrogen and other beneficial nutrients, again saving you money on fertilizers and expensive treatments.

Consider adding a "no mow" zone in your yard- areas where you leave the local flora alone to thrive. You'd be surprised how many beneficial insects, like bees and butterflies, come to roam your yard.

In order to arrive at a remedy for your garden’s ever-growing weeds, you need to take stock of your garden’s weed-related needs. Go outside, tour your garden, and ask yourself these questions: Do I want this plant here? Is this plant harmful to me or my family (including pets)? And do I need a tool to remove its deep taproot or can I just remove it with minimal disturbance to the surrounding area?

Now that you’ve determined where your weeds are growing and what kind of plants they are, try weeding your garden in a few different positions: standing, kneeling, bending over while sitting on a bench. Ask yourself: What feels best for my body? So much of the dreadassociated with weeding comes from the physical discomfort that accompanies the task. By finding out which weeding posture feels the best for you—while still allowing you the leverage needed to weed effectively—you can help to mitigate the negative after-effects on your back.

Nothing will make you hate weeding faster than trying to weed dry, packed soil. This gardening season, don’t work harder, work smarter instead by weeding only when your soil is soft and wet.

Invest in a high-quality, easy-to-use hose and an efficient, easy-to-maneuver sprinkler sled. Make sure to water your garden about ten minutes before you want to begin weeding. This will ensure that the soil is soft and agreeable for the task ahead, requiring much less effort from you. If you’re in a hurry, a simple watering from a galvanized watering can will work, too.

The right tools make all the difference when it comes to stress-free weeding.

With gardening comes a lot of joy: The pleasure of the planting itself, the thrill of watching seeds germinate, the satisfaction of seeing plants thrive. But also with gardening comes a lot of work: The digging, the watering, the pest control, and, of course, the most dreaded of all garden-related tasks—weeding.

Every gardener knows the drill. You weed in the spring to prepare your beds for planting, and then you weed all summer as your plants grow, and then you weed well into the fall, just to keep things tidy. It feels like, for gardeners, there are three things one can’t escape: death, taxes and weeding as a constant, back-breaking chore.

The good news is: Weeding doesn’t have to be stressful or back-breaking or such a horrible chore at all. Here are 5 tips to help you make your weeding easy and stress-free this gardening season.

Growing up in the suburbs, one may have come to see weeds as the enemy of the lawn- something that has to be removed at all costs. Expensive treatments like chemical herbicides to kill these plants and fertilizers to support turf grass have become the status quo of lawn care in America. However, with the devastating ecological impact of lawn care and development more understood, we should revisit what a weed actually is. A "weed" is defined as a plant that shouldn't be there. However, most plants considered weeds are actually local species that are adapted to the local environment, cause zero impact to humans, and provide much needed food, shelter, and nesting spots for pollinators (whose populations have also suffered). They only got their reputation as "weeds" because they were good at growing in their native environment- kind of silly when you think about it. Milkweed, the host plant for monarch butterflies, one of nature's most beautiful creatures, was viewed as a weed because there were vast areas of them in the way of developments. Their numbers have plummeted due to this bad reputation, which is a major factor the monarchs are also in major trouble. These insects we've come to take for granted growing up may become extinct in our lifetimes, and an important step in saving them is to remove the stigma around milkweed. You can help by planting milkweed in your own yard. The Save Our Monarchs Foundation provides people with free seeds with just a self-addressed envelope.

Plants considered "weeds" provide lawn owners with several benefits. Firstly, they require next to zero maintenance compared to your average turf grass. This saves time, money, and energy you can spend on enjoying your lawn. They may produce beautiful flowers that local pollinators appreciate since these are the plants they have become accustomed to over the past millions of years. Also, they can help with erosion by providing ground cover, as well as reducing water loss thanks to their hardy root systems (grass have shallow roots and can't hold as much). Lastly, they can actually enrich soil with nitrogen and other beneficial nutrients, again saving you money on fertilizers and expensive treatments.

Consider adding a "no mow" zone in your yard- areas where you leave the local flora alone to thrive. You'd be surprised how many beneficial insects, like bees and butterflies, come to roam your yard.

In order to arrive at a remedy for your garden’s ever-growing weeds, you need to take stock of your garden’s weed-related needs. Go outside, tour your garden, and ask yourself these questions: Do I want this plant here? Is this plant harmful to me or my family (including pets)? And do I need a tool to remove its deep taproot or can I just remove it with minimal disturbance to the surrounding area?

Now that you’ve determined where your weeds are growing and what kind of plants they are, try weeding your garden in a few different positions: standing, kneeling, bending over while sitting on a bench. Ask yourself: What feels best for my body? So much of the dreadassociated with weeding comes from the physical discomfort that accompanies the task. By finding out which weeding posture feels the best for you—while still allowing you the leverage needed to weed effectively—you can help to mitigate the negative after-effects on your back.

Nothing will make you hate weeding faster than trying to weed dry, packed soil. This gardening season, don’t work harder, work smarter instead by weeding only when your soil is soft and wet.

Invest in a high-quality, easy-to-use hose and an efficient, easy-to-maneuver sprinkler sled. Make sure to water your garden about ten minutes before you want to begin weeding. This will ensure that the soil is soft and agreeable for the task ahead, requiring much less effort from you. If you’re in a hurry, a simple watering from a galvanized watering can will work, too.