Weeding tools are part of the solution. It's not a secret that removing difficult weeds consistently ranks as most individual's least favorite gardening chore. But there is good news in the battle over weeds: Homeowners tired of spending backbreaking hours in the garden pulling dandelions can breath a sigh of relief thanks to proven techniques, clever tips and innovative weeding tools. Here are some pieces of advice from lawn and garden experts specially designed to make killing weeds and prevention less of a pain, such as:

Build up the lawn. Cultivating a healthy lawn is one of the simplest ways to force out weeds. Dandelions and other well known broadleaf weeds can't compete with healthy, growing grass plants. The healthier and more lush your grass is, there will be less room for weeds.

Condition the dirt. Spend a few minutes doing what the garden experts call “top dressing,” covering a thin layer of peat moss over the lawn with a rake. The top dressing helps to slowly condition the lawn during the year, building up the grass so it can resist disease, weeds and thatch, and reducing the quantity of water and fertilizer it requires. Peat moss makes pulling weeds easier in the garden, too. Add two inches of peat moss to the top six inches of dirt to help loosen the dirt.

Aerate. Many weeds grow after the dirt has gotten compacted. You can reduce the probability of weeds getting control of a compacted area by using an aerator, a garden tool which removes small plugs from the ground and lets air and water to get to grass roots in high-traffic areas. If you've got a big yard, think about renting a power aerator. They are often expensive, however, so it might pay to gather a group of neighbors to rent one together. For small garden or isolated problem areas, hand operated aerator that removes plugs as you step is a good choice.

Keep an eye on the calendar. Spend some time weeding in the autumn, at the time the lawn goes dormant, and you'll gain the rewards by the spring. And once the weather turns warmer, be sure to get after weeds before they go to seed and pop up everywhere in the yard.

Wait until it's wet. Pull weeds after the soil is damp Don't bother trying to yank weeds out of dry turf. It's a lot easier to extract weeds after a light rain, when the dirt is damp.

Choose ergonomic weeding tools. Manufacturers are developing ergonomic, stand-up weed removal tools that won't put stress or strain on the body. One tool we especially like is the Rocket Weeder, which lets you extract weeds without bending or stooping. You just step on the foot pedal, tilt the tool and out comes the weed, root and all. Then press a handle to expel the weed, and move onto the next one. It's actually fun to work, and you can use it to pull dozens or even hundreds of weeds without much work at all. Multi-use garden tools like a Rotary Cultivator or Twist Tiller can also be good additions to your arsenal in the war against weeds.

Dig soundly. Be sure to get every last piece of the weed. If you can't get all of the root, the weed may just grow back.