Weed busting the chemical-free way

Stop digging Most annual weed seeds lurk in the top 20-30cm of your soil – so the moment you turn this over you expose them to light and they germinate. Putting away your spade drastically reduces annual weeds, especially if you bury seeds still further by mulching.

Boiling water The contents of your just-boiled kettle, or boiling water from cooking vegetables, can scald most types of weed to death. Pour over weeds growing in paving and patios to kill them almost instantly, down to the roots, and repeat as necessary throughout summer.

Electric weeders Avoid polluting propane-powered flame weeders and go for a sustainably-powered electric one instead. These deliver a targeted ‘thermal shock’, of up to 600°C, to weeds in patios and paving, sizzling top growth to nothing. However, weeds do regrow, so make this a part of your weekly gardening routine.

Boiling water kills patio weeds without risk of splashing nearby plants