If you have a tree nearby or something that is sturdy, perhaps you could tie a rope to it, and pull yourself up with the rope? What part of your back hurts? Maybe I can visualize it then. Do you have vertigo? If you are able to sit in a chair, perhaps a raised garden bed would help. I guess I would need to know more about your limitations.

Now I know it might be a bit late for this, but I suggest weed control when the weeds are emerging and easily removed with a scuffle hoe/stirrup hoe. Shallow cultivations when the weeds are tiny destroy the weeds and bring up fewer weed seeds from soil storage bank. That leaves the hand weeding along side seedlings.

I have scuffle hoes with different handle lengths, easily done by cutting off the excess lengths.

Weeds with tap root or dense fibrous root systems are a bear to remove, even for the physically able. I find that an asparagus knife is often used as a weeder to dig out those stubborn weeds. You will have better success by sharpening the action end. Mounting these on a sturdy piece of wood with a broader "heel" near the active end will allow the gardener to lever out many stubborn weeds. Locking onto the weed and using your diminished strength is not such a good idea. Better to use physics!

One of my favorite tools is a "lettuce harvest knive" which is rather like a small machete. I keep the knife sharpened all along the cutting edge, even the curving blunt end.

Which reminds me. Hand tools work more easily and even more safely if sharpened.

The idea I have isn't a claw thing, but what about tongs, the long one you can find in with the barbecue tools. They're sturdy, and useful in a lot of ways.

MrsBeasley

Consider deep mulching with anything you can get free. I save leaves from three neighbors plus my own. I don't do much weeding. Tramp down the weeds and cover them.

Hi Sheila,
A few years ago when my husband was having trouble with his back, we made a grabber for him out of an old golf club and a bicycle caliper brake. It was a little stiff, but had great "grab". Any tinkers in the house?
When weeding, I try to loosen the weed, then pick them up in 2 steps. Fortunately now, i mostly grow bonsai. Weeding is literaly accomplished with tweezers!
Hope this helps!
Carol W
Novato CA

OK, thank you all for your ideas!! I'm going to check out BBQ tongs at Walmart next time I go. We have an old bike in the garage so I am going to ask my son to take his old golf club and fix something up! He is quite the engineer with that sort of thing!!

I also had an idea about getting a new mop and murdering the old one as follows: cut off the handle to "my height" length, like 30" say. Then take out the sponge mop head. Then line it with one of those rubber gripper thingies like you open jars with. Who knows - it could work!!

Bonsai and tweezers... it's sounding pretty darned good!!!

Try a long handled dandelion fork that can be used while standing there are great designs out there that use leverage and can be pushed into the ground with a foot they work wonders for weeds with taproots then use tongs to pick up weeds afterwards.
A machete can work wonders and you can clear a lot of weeds very quickly or use it in small areas with precision, some types of weeds might come back but you can just chop them again and most will just die if you cut them at ground level or slightly below. Then your tongs will easily pick up the loose weeds.
You will love how easily and effectively a good machete will annihilate weeds the weight of a good machete does all the work.
It can be surprisingly acurate too.
Since you are not very tall it should be easy to find a machete of the right size or atatch a smaller one to a longer handle this will enable you to kill weeds WITHOUT BENDING OVER.
In other countrys these wonderfull tools are used for a huge aray of tasks and don't need much strength or strain.
You can find them for sale on the web or at local farm supply stores they are used here espesially for corn stalks and sugar cane .
Best Wishes

Sheila - Did you find something that works for you? I can't imagine a reacher device or tongs that would work for weeding - if you found or made something, let us know.

If not, did you look at the hoes that have a loop for cutting (scuffle or action hoe)? Marshallz mentioned it in an earlier reply. This type of hoe is very easy to use and is available with small cutting loops for getting in close to plants. I have seen them at a couple of local retailers, but those often have heavy handles so you might check for a lightweight version online if interested.

Scuffle hoe description:
""Scuffle hoes" are designed to cut in two directions - on both the push and pull strokes, thus they can work twice as fast as a conventional hoe. Furthermore, they donÂt have to be lifted out of the ground. Many have blades that are shaped in a loop. The loop may be rigidly attached to the toolhead, or the loop may be free to wobble through a short arc. Again, personal preference will dictate your choice. These hoes allow faster and easier cultivation than a standard garden hoe."

Description of dutch scuffle hoe, action hoe, and others.

Wolf Garten is an excellent source for hoes and other tools. You choose a handle and attachments separately, so it's very customizable to your needs. They offer several great options that might work for your specific weeding needs. You could even get one or two handles and switch out different attachments.

Taba, no, nothing has worked yet. I tried the machete idea and whacked some daylilies. I tried the hoe thing and the trouble is, my hand and arm strength is not good enough to work it. The only thing that I CAN operate that weeds is the famous Garden Claw. So far that is all I can rely on. It works because it is a stable thing, I can stick it and just rotate the handles. Maybe that's what I'll have to settle for until my brilliant 16 year old engineer can figure out something for me!

Hi,
How about a piece of pvc pipe with wire looped thru it. You might try different sizes of wire to get the one that works for you. A friend of mine with MS makes a snake catcher using such an aparatus. The handle end could be threaded thru a tennis ball so its easier to grasp and pull on. You might also try different types of rope-some would be too floppy but there are many kinds of rope with different stiffness types.
gentle day and good luck,
Lisa B

Sheila,

Did you use a conventional hoe or one of the scuffle or action hoes? I believe the scuffle or action hoes will be much easier to use.

I also use the garden claw a lot. Used a regular hoe today and my hands are practically vibrating with pain.

The long grabber sold at Restoration Hardware is wonderful. It has rubber fingers on the end that are closed when the two handles (one at mid length and one at full length, making it easy to switch from something close to something far) are relaxed. Thus, it does not tire the hand. The grip is very good, although I have not tried it on weeds, because I am house-bound right now.

I have seen them only in the stores, not in their catalog. They are about $35 and worth every penny. I have used them to pick up litter along the roadside, including full soda cans and heavy trash imbedded in muddy ditches. They're pretty strong. -- Marie

I made a couple of great weeding tools with the help of my husband. I took a broom handle and, after my DH had sawed off the fork's handle and drilled a hole ant the end of the broom handle, I stuck the fork's remaining neck into the hole, using epoxy putty to secure it. i just stick the fork into the ground and give the tool a twist, and weeds pop out easily.

I'm not sure if the scuffle hoe described is the same as my hoe with a small delta-wing triangular head (used to be called a Dutch Hoe, I think.) If I keep all 3 sides sharpened, it just glides along under the mulch or just under the soil, cutting off weeds at the soil line. Not as thorough as pulling the roots, but it's so easy I can do it more frequently. The weeds may come up once again, but soon get discouraged. I usually leave them to compost in place, unless they have gone to seed.

My favourite tool for both planting and weeding is a rabbiting spade that I got from Lee Valley about eight years ago. It's English made, only slightly wider than a trowel and has a "D" handle. It's particularly good for weeds with a long tap root - dandelion, chicory, burdock, cheeses - and being narrow, doesn't disturb adjacent plants. I use one foot to drive the spade in beside the plant at a slight angle, rock the handle back slightly until I hear the root pop and then use the handle for support while I lean over to remove it from the soil. It keeps a good sharp edge and the angle and balance are just right. I've tried a lot of different hoes but using them is harder on my arthritic hands and back and none of them are comfortable to lean on the way this little spade is.

I am looking for the long paint mixing bit that fit my drill. When I find it, I'm going to try it on my weeds with my cordless drill.

My dreams tell me it may work.

Mpls Dee

Cover the weeds with wet newspaper then use pine bark mulch over it. You'll never see those nasty weeds again.