I can't walk outdoors without pulling a few weeds. That's why I keep a small bucket on the shed porch.

I usually only deadhead in a specific area at a time. Those get tossed in the compost bin.

lately I only have time to do one thing when I go out. so if it's extra watering, that's it. Or if it's deadheading, that's it. Sure, I'll pull the occasional offending weed if I pass it, but most of the time, I do it in one fail swoop with garbage bags on my arm.

I am a compulsive weeder, I'm afraid. I can't walk the paths in the garden without pulling weeds if I see them, and I have "weeding buckets" (big, old plastic tree pots)located here and there in handy spots in the garden to toss them in, or on the compost pile if I am close to it. I often have my pruners in hand to deadhead as I go, too, if I see a plant that needs it. I also go on "border patrol" at least once a day and take care of stuff that needs it, in a different part of the garden each time (I have a biiiig garden!).

I also pull weeds wherever I happen to be in the garden and right now have little piles of weeds in several places that need to be collected and composted. I'm so far behind this year because of the rain that I haven't even finished planting new plants so the weeding which normally would have been finished weeks ago is still waiting.

Add my name to the compulsive, weed-as-you-walk crowd. They get yanked as soon as I see them unless there are too many in one spot, then I'll get out my little rolling cart I can sit on and my knife tool with the notched end. Most I toss in a bucket or into the lawn for the mower to chop up. I empty the bucket over the edge of the hill behind the garage out of sight. This year's frequent rains have made the job a little easier but I still have dirt under my fingernails every day. I usually don't deadhead because I want to collect the seeds for trading/winter sowing.

Weeding happens when deadheading happens. Depending on the time of year, sometimes it's almost all weeding and no deadheading, or vice versa. (And sometimes weeding is the extermination of demonic seedlings of euphorbia wulfenii, which show up absolutely everywhere!) Ditto oxalis.
The essential equipment: plastic nursery bucket, just like mosswitch's, my hori-hori knife (Annie's Annuals in Northern California sells them, among other places), a pair of left-handed Felcos, and one of those small foam mats to sit on (which DH refers to as my "tushion.") For me, like cindysunshine, gloves are optional. There's a wanted poster with my face on it in the back room of every nail salon in town.

Kay

Kay I am giggling because I get scolded every time I go in for a manicure like tsk tsk don't you wear gloves or wash under your nails? Oh well...!

Early & often. Same goes for slugs. Get 'em when you see 'em.

When my kids were young they'd say, "Aren't we going on a walk now, not gardening?" when I'd stop along the way through the yard. My son would also say, "Remember we're going on a walk now Mom, not gardening." While playing lawn games together he'd remind me, "Your turn, Mom. I thought we were playing."

I confess it's hard to ignore weeds, so anywhere I go I will pull them from garden beds. Just a few...

I think that I will put mosswitch's idea of using some large empty pots to use. That will look better than the little piles of pulled weeds that I toss on on the brick walks and stepping stones to dispose of later.

Thanks for that idea.

Compulsive. I get on such a kick sometimes, I'll see weeds in public places and want to pick them. The other day I was walking down the street in Philadelphia and could hardly help myself from pulling weeds from the large annual containers in front of a restaurant! The last couple of weeks I haven't been able to weed at my house because I'm not allowed to bend over (I had a septoplasty to correct a deviated septum) and it's KILLING me to let the weeds go! I am trying to ignore them and just appreciate the blooms....

Weeds..what weeds??!!

I wish!

Much of my garden is infested with crabgrass seedlings since it was lawn last summer. I am trying to sheet mulch as much as possible, but I also am out there almost everyday pulling them up when possible. I either let them dry out on the stepping stones (so they don't re-root) or put them in a bucket. I do short weed pulling sessions because generally something more interesting to do catches my attention. Also I notice I just spend a lot of time *looking* and *planning* but not so much time *doing*.

If they are small enough, I pull them and toss them on the back lawn for the mulching mower to deal with.

According to the nosy neighbors thread, that makes me a genius. :o)

Can I borrow each of you for a week at a time? I have extra bedrooms upstairs and my DH is great with the grill. We'll keep you well fed and I'll even let you borrow some gloves if you wish. I don't like weeding, don't necessarily have time for weeding and we've had so much rain this spring the weeds are getting very out of control. So, who's up for a visit?!? LOL!!

lets see - I always have dirt under my fingernails, I have the larger nursery pots in just about everygarden, you also WILL find little piles of weeds along side paths or edges of gardens. Do I have a plan?? I usually start off the day with one but that usually falls apart as I pass a garden to get to another and spot something that needs attention and well you know the story - lol by the end of the day I have to backtrack and see just what did get accomplished and also to collect various and sundry piles, tools and what-not ......

Lynne

You only have to see my hands to know I am a gardener. I weed a bed and I weed when I spot an offender. And they grow back and I weed again. Compost is the only thing that keeps them down for me. And I always seem to pull some weeds and get dirt under the fingernails if I am outside.
kay

I went to get a pedicure last week and they asked me if I also wanted a manicure. I said what's the point since I will be weeding in the garden!!!!! I too cannot walk around the garden without deadheading and weeding. Every little bit helps instead of a marathon session like one years ago that gave me tennis elbow. (I actually play a lot of tennis and have never gotten it from that!)