Weeding tools are just one of the pieces of the solution. It's hardly a secret that weeding usually ranks as most folk's least favorite gardening chore. But there is some promising news in the war against weeds: If you are fed up with spending backbreaking hours in the yard pulling weeds you can breath a sigh of relief thanks to proven techniques, clever tips and the latest weeding tools. Here are some bits of wisdom I've picked up from garden and lawn experts that just may make killing weeds less of a chore, including:

Keep your lawn strong. A healthy lawn is the primary defense to stop weeds. Crowd out dandelions by making sure your grass is happy and healthy. That means making sure your lawn gets the proper amount of fertilizer and water, and treating disease before it can get too far along.

Condition the dirt. Spend a little time doing what the garden experts call "top dressing," spreading a thin layer of peat moss over the lawn with a rake. The top dressing helps to gradually condition the lawn throughout the year, building up the grass so it can resist disease, thatch and weeds, and reducing the amount of fertilizer and water it requires. Peat moss makes pulling weeds easier in your garden, too. Add two inches of peat moss to the top six inches of dirt to help loosen the dirt.

Aerate. Many weeds only sprout after the dirt has become compacted. You can reduce the possibility of weeds taking over such an area by using an aerator, a garden tool that makes small hoes in the ground and lets water and oxygen get to grass roots in areas that are frequently trod upon. If you have a large garden, consider renting a power aerator. They can be expensive, though, so it might be cheaper to get together a number of neighbors and go in on the cost together. For smaller yards or isolated problem areas, a manual aerator that drills the holes as you step is the best way.

Watch the calendar. Spend some time removing weeds in the autumn, at the time the lawn goes dormant, and you'll reap the benefits 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 ground has been dampened. Don't even try pulling weeds out of dry ground. It is much easier to pull weeds after a light rain or soaking with a hose, when the dirt is softer.

Choose ergonomic tools. Garden tool manufacturers are now making ergonomic, stand-up weed removal tools that won't stress yoru back or knees. A garden tool I particulary like using is the Yard Butler Rocket Weeder, which lets you pop out weeds while standing upright. You just center the tool over the weed and step on the foot pedal. Then tilt the tool back and out pops the weed, root and all. Then press a button to expel the weed, and move onto the next one. It's actually a lot of fun to use, and I find I can pull dozens or even hundreds of weeds with very little effort at all. Multi-use garden tools like a Rotary Cultivator or Twist Tiller, also from Yard Butler, are other tools in my arsenal in the battle against weeds.

Dig deeply. A very important step is to check that you got every last piece of any of the weed. If you can't get all of the root, the weed could grow back.

Yard Butler Store sells fine gardening tools that include weeding tools.