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Ring Weeder gets to the root of the manual weeding problem

August 05, 2013
Ring Weeder gets to the root of the manual weeding problem
What the weeds look like once pulled out of the ground with Ring Weeder
What the weeds look like once pulled out of the ground with Ring Weeder
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A demonstration of how to use the Ring Weeder
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A demonstration of how to use the Ring Weeder
Ring Weeder pulls weeds out from the root
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Ring Weeder pulls weeds out from the root
Using the Ring Weeder to make weeding by hand a little easier
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Using the Ring Weeder to make weeding by hand a little easier
What the weeds look like once pulled out of the ground with Ring Weeder
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What the weeds look like once pulled out of the ground with Ring Weeder
The Ring Weeder and a pile of weeds pulled out from the roots
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The Ring Weeder and a pile of weeds pulled out from the roots
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Removing weeds can be annoying, especially in an area with a lot of plants. Ring Weeder slips over the user's index finger and allows for precision weed pulling all the way down to the root.

When taking a hands-on approach to weeding, the challenge is to make sure that the pesky invader is pulled all the way out, root intact. If it's not a clean extraction, there's a very good chance that the weed will just grow back and you'll have to try again.

Ring Weeder is worn like a ring over the gardening glove, and has a forked end that the gardener sticks in the ground behind the weed. The offending plant and root are then removed with a smooth dig and lift motion. It's a simple tool, but one that could prove to be a time saver for anyone who does a lot of gardening.

Vincent Suozzi, the creator of Ring Weeder, is seeking funding on Kickstarter. It has already more than doubled its modest funding goal with almost two weeks of the campaign left to run. Early bird pledge levels have all gone, so backers will now need to offer at least US$10 for a single Ring Weeder.

The Kickstarter pitch below provides more information on the Ring Weeder.

Source: Kickstarter

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6 comments
ooglek
Just became a backer! Thanks for writing this up -- great little product with a hilariously hokey inventor.
Chris Estes
Seriously? I WISH my weeds were that small after just one week of working at my job. How would this do with the real weeds, the ivy and chokeberry plants that are two-three feet tall when you get to them? This might be fine for retirees who putter in the yard all day or apartment dwellers. That's about it.
Gomergozer
Am I wrong in thinking that this can be easily duplicated/modified with a 3D printer?
Dennis Siple
mass produced (relatively), this should sell at no more than 99 cents each
Expanded Viewpoint
It looks great for pulling small intruders from a flower bed made of at least 50% finely chopped mulch or potting soil, but how will it fare in hard packed ground in a semi arid desert area? You'll have to soak the ground first to loosen it up, and then the roots that do break off will be left in soil with plenty of water in it to start growing again! It's best to stick with a good quality weeder that has a fulcrum welded a few inches away from the fork. With those, you just plunge it into the ground, push down on the handle and out pops the weed with most of the roots still on it. But even with those, you can have a hard time unless the soil is damp like in winter time. Summer? Forget it.
Randy
StWils
I agree this is a great idea but it is poorly executed. The load strain on one finger and on the hand will rapidly become uncomfortable and will exceed the grip strength a user can exert. Work on this some more to devise a tool of roughly this scale. I suggest that the end point should be about where this is but the handle has to extend back and wrap partially around the wrist. This way each part of the forearm, hand, and finger do the work they each are good at. The finger points & steers and the forearm provides the force. A small scale version for very light weeding can have a handle shaped for easy gripping with the hand and a base resting on and driven by the palm. Again each area does the job it is best able to. And finally this tool must be ambidextrous!