After a long, wet winter, my garden definitely needed tending to, and after a lot of effort, meticulously weeding my garden borders by hand, I decided to bring out the big guns in the form of the Ryobi Cordless Handheld Cultivator, £144.95 at Amazon.
Our veg beds and front borders had become overgrown, weeds were popping up everywhere, and I knew I needed something to help me clear it all more efficiently without damaging existing plants and bulbs starting to bud and flower. I went on a bit of a mission to figure out how to get rid of weeds naturally without having to hunch over a flower bed for hours with a garden fork, or worse, resorting to chemicals that might damage my plants.
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RYOBI
18v One+ Cordless Handheld Cultivator
I’ve mainly been using the cordless cultivator to dig up weeds across our veg beds and front garden borders, as this is where it was most definitely needed, especially as I prep them for laying newspaper down as weed prevention and planting up weed-suppressing creeping phlox and other pretty new low-maintenance border plants and plant out the vegetables we’d sown in March.
Instead of pulling weeds one by one, I run the cultivator lightly over the surface and let its rotating tines do the work. It lifts and breaks up the roots, which makes it much easier to clear everything faster than I’d ever manage with a hand fork when I’m rushing about with a to-do list the length of my arm. However, on a few occasions, I have had to dig out a few really well-rooted stalwarts using my trusty RootSlayer, £49.50 at Amazon, which easily slides deep into the soil with its serrated edges.
The cultivator is also really handy because it’s handheld, as you can get into more restrictive areas without the worry about pulling up existing plants’ roots by mistake, which is something I thought I might struggle to avoid if I used a cultivator with a longer handle. That said, you will still have to get down on your knees with your garden kneeler to use it, which isn’t great for the old back and knees.
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And because it’s so compact and lightweight, I’ve found myself using it in places I’d never attempt with a larger tool, including my raised vegetable beds, around existing plants where I don’t want to disturb the roots too much, and in planters that just need a quick seasonal soil reset.
What I didn’t expect was how much of a difference the soil itself looked afterwards. As the cultivator moves through, it not only removes weeds but also helps loosen and aerate the soil, which is key when you’re about to plant anything new. This helps with improving drainage, airflow, and breaking up compacted soil, making it easier for new roots to establish.
In my veg beds, especially, it leaves an ideal crumbly texture that’ll be just right for planting out seedlings when the time comes.
It feels much more precise than a traditional cultivator, too, almost like a powered hand tool. OK, so it’s worth saying that it isn’t designed for breaking brand new ground or tackling seriously overgrown areas. However, for regular maintenance, weeding, and soil prep, it’s become a tool I actually reach for again and again, and so much more than I thought I would, if I’m honest.
And anything that helps me clear weeds from flower beds faster and gives my plants a better start earns pride of place in my gardening arsenal.
Shop my favourite weed-busting alternatives
If the Ryobi cultivator feels a little too pricey for your budget right now, here are a few other affordable, tried-and-tested weed-busters that have worked a treat at getting rid of the peskiest weeds.
Root Slayer
Radius Garden Shovel – Green Thumb Award for Most Innovative Garden Tool
This weeding tool’s tall handle lets you uproot the weeds without having to bend over or go down to your knees, and the handy foot pedal gives you enough purchase to penetrate the ground and grab weeds by the root.
Workpro
Weed Remover Tool 2-Piece With Wood Handle
This is one of those gardening tools that genuinely earns its keep, and it’s taken a job I usually put off and made it quicker, easier and far less of a chore. If your garden is anything like mine after winter, with overgrown beds and weeds creeping in everywhere, the Ryobi cordless handheld cultivator is a simple upgrade that makes a noticeable difference.
It won’t replace heavy-duty digging, but for everyday maintenance and getting your garden back into shape, it’s a tool I’ll keep on reaching for, and I guarantee you will too.
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