Western Morning News (Saturday)
Weed all about it
THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC PLANTS IN YOUR GARDEN ARE OFTEN THE LEAST WELCOME. HERE’S HOW TO SHOW UNWANTED GUESTS JUST WHO IS BOSS
Bindweed, ground elder, creeping thistle, nettle, horsetail, dock and couch grass – these are Britain’s most troublesome weeds, and they want your garden all to themselves.
Fortunately, they can be beaten, but you’ll need to be systematic, and even more determined than they are.
Prevention
Roots of perennial weeds are often imported with topsoil or manure, so inspect it before buying compost. Better still, make your own compost and don’t put perennial weed roots on the heap. Also don’t buy new plants with weeds in their pots as there will be roots too difficult to remove.
Perennial weeds often spread under fences or hedges from neighbouring fields or neglected gardens. To stop this happening, dig a trench and sink a sheet of plastic or old roof slates to make a vertical barrier 18-24in deep.
Leave the top inch or two above the surface to stop stems creeping across.
What’s the cure?
Before treating infested areas, dig out plants that you want to keep. Divide perennials and remove every trace of weeds, then replant them in pots.
Keep them in quarantine for a full season and watch for weeds reappearing.
If a border has become badly overgrown there may not be much worth saving.
See it as an opportunity to scrap the lot and start again from scratch.
The weedkiller method
Though you may hate the idea, a glyphosate-based weedkiller is the quickest way to clear problem weeds fairly quickly. Once done, you can then give up chemicals for good.
Water or spray the diluted product during the weed’s growing season. Follow the maker’s instructions and don’t apply more than the recommended amount.
The active ingredient must be absorbed through the leaves and circulated within the plant to kill the roots. It takes several weeks before weeds show any effect, so don’t think it’s not working. Retreat any new growth and apply another dose if more still appear.
The mowing method
Dig everything out of an infested border, roots and all. Fork it over carefully, removing any roots that you find, then rake level, firm well and sow grass seed in September. Once the area is covered with grass, mow frequently throughout the growing season, cutting it as short as you dare.
Regular cutting starves perennial weeds by stopping the supply of carbohydrate to the roots. It may take a year or two to clear long-established invasive weeds, but the border can then be restored.
The cover-up method
Dig out existing weeds and roots, fork the ground over and cover with thick black plastic or old carpet. Denied light for a year or so, even robust perennial weeds will be starved out, but don’t rush – roots will regrow if uncovered too soon.
If you don’t want to look at bare plastic, make some incisions, plant shrubs, then cover with a layer of bark chippings. But keep an eye on the ground round the base of your shrubs – weeds only need the sniff of a chance and they’ll be back.