Dandelions can be an especially troublesome weed in lawns and landscapes. Once they're established, dandelions readily regrow from their deep taproot when only the tops are removed or mowed. Dandelions can regrow if even 1 inch of the taproot remains. The best way to get rid of dandelions is to control them when they are young, removing the whole plant, taproot and all.
Specialized tools for removing individual weeds and their roots are great nonchemical choices for gardeners who are looking for alternatives to herbicides. Many different styles are available on the market. This article details UC IPM testing of several handheld and long-handled dandelion removal tools. Tools were rated for their ease of use, soil displacement, and weed removal ability of mature dandelions in moderately moist soil. A summary of observations is below; see Table 1 for comments and rating on each tool.
Long-handled Tools
handled weeding tools. Photo by Karey Windbiel-Rojas, UC IPM.
Several different long-handled tools were tested and rated for their efficacy on removing both the weed and the taproot. For ease of use, styles such as the Speedy Weedy Weed Puller performed the best. These tools have nail like tines that go into the soil to grab the weed and a retractable plunger that shoots the weed off the end for easy disposal. You often don’t even get your hands dirty.
One drawback of these tools is that they take a large divot out of the area where the weed is removed, which is especially noticeable in lawns. You might need to top dress or fill with soil to replace the hole left behind. Also, the tines on these tools didn’t always remove the entire dandelion taproot. They did, however, successfully remove many other types of shallow-rooted weeds.
The long-handled tools that consistently removed the dandelion along with its taproot include: Grampa’s Weeder Tool, Rocket Weeder, and Radius Pro Weeder. Grampa’s Tool is a popular design carried by many garden centers, while the Rocket Weeder may only be available online. For these tools, you step on a lever, rock the handle forward to clamp onto the weed, then gently pull it out. The Rocket Weeder also has a plunger for easy weed disposal. The Radius Pro Weeder, available in some stores, looks and performs like a slim shovel, and although it does lift up a chunk of soil, it allows you to get under the taproot to easily remove the whole weed. Stomp down the chunk of soil when finished.
Hand-held Tools
Some gardeners may prefer a smaller handheld weeding tool. These are inexpensive and take up less space in the toolshed, and they don’t generally disturb the soil or lawn as much as some of the long-handled tools.
Many hand tools have a forked end that helps grab the base of the dandelion to pull out the entire plant. Styles, grips, cost, and effectiveness vary greatly. We found the best ones had a small fork or even no fork, a fulcrum portion for leverage (the curve between the fork and the handle), and a comfortable handle grip. The best performers in our study were the Radius Hand Weeder and the Diggit tool, because they allow you to get deep into the soil to loosen the taproot for easy removal. Most of the hand-held tools worked fine, but some required more effort to get the weed and taproot out.
Choose a Tool that Suits You
All the tools tested had advantages and disadvantages. The main considerations in choosing which tool to use are how much effort is required, whether the weed is adequately removed, and personal preference. Tools with long handles require less bending over and time on your knees, reducing possible back and joint pain. Handheld tools might give you more control and allow you to get your hands dirty, which many gardeners enjoy!
| Long-handled Tool | Ease | Removes Dandelion | Other Weeds | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Radius 205 PRO Weeder | 4 | 5 | 3 | Easy to get entire taproot. Sturdy design, ergonomic grip. | Tool is like a shovel. Disturbs lawn when extracting weeds. Still have to bend down to get out dandelion. |
| Grampa’s Weeder Tool | 5 | 4 | 3 | Almost no bending required. | Doesn’t work very well on smaller dandelion plants. |
| Lee Valley Dandelion Digger 60 inch | 2 | 3 | 2 | Sturdy design with fulcrum for leverage. | Taproot isn’t consistently removed. Long handle makes difficult to use. |
| Speedy Weedy Weed Puller | 5 | 3 | 5 | Can shoot weed off end with plunger. Great for shallow-rooted weeds. Lightweight. | Doesn’t get entire taproot. Leaves large hole. If metal tines get bent, plunger doesn’t work well. |
| Ergonica Weed Twister | 3 | 2 | 3 | Great for shallow-rooted weeds. | Doesn’t get entire taproot. Leaves large hole. Best for large weeds. |
| Weed Twister | 2 | 1 | 2 | Can operate with one hand. | Leaves hole in ground. Must dig out weed and dirt clod from tool end. Doesn’t always get taproot. Handle is awkward. Not readily available. |
| Hand Tool | Ease | Removes Dandelion | Other Weeds | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Diggit | 5 | 5 | 4 | Goes deep into soil to get entire taproot. Sturdy construction. | Handle is soft but not ergonomic. |
| Radius 102 NRG Hand Weeder | 5 | 5 | 4 | Goes deep into soil to get entire taproot. Sturdy construction. Comfortable, ergonomic grip. | May not be suitable for all types of weeds. |
| Leonard Weeder | 5 | 4 | 3 | Sturdy design. Good leverage from fulcrum. | Entire taproot isn’t consistently removed. |
| Lee Valley Dandelion Digger 24 inch | 4 | 3 | 3 | Sturdy design. Good leverage from fulcrum. | Entire taproot isn’t consistently removed. |
| Dandelion fork (common model) | 4 | 2 | 3 | Inexpensive. Carried by most stores. Long handle to get down into soil. | Poor grip. No leverage. Fork isn’t usually good enough to pull out taproot. More effort to remove other weeds. |
| Corona dandelion fork | 3 | 2 | 3 | Sturdy design. Good leverage from fulcrum. | Entire taproot isn’t consistently removed. |
Preventing Future Weed Problems
It's hard to prevent new infestations since dandelions spread via windborne seeds. Controlling these and other weeds before they set seed will reduce future weed problems. For a list of resources about weed identification, prevention, and control in gardens and landscapes, see the UC IPM website at https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/menu.weeds.html.
[Originally featured in the Spring 2025 issue of the Home and Garden Pest Newsletter]