Controlling weeds
3 The oft-quoted definition of a weed is a plant growing in the wrong place. With the rise of naturalistic planting styles and greater awareness of the biodiversity benefits of native plants, the concept of a weed can be quite loose, as well as a personal choice. However, in any garden you need to edit out the unwanted.
Why
Weeds can physically overwhelm other plants, compete with them for water and nutrients, and may also host pests and diseases.
How
For the purposes of tackling weeds, identify annuals from perennials. Annuals, such as chickweed and speedwell, complete their life cycle within a year and are a nuisance rather than a major threat. But beware of longer-lived (or perennial) weeds, such as couch grass, bindweed and ground elder. These are vigorous, persistent and regrow from even tiny pieces of root. Go to gardenersworld.com/ weeds to learn how to identify common weeds. Prevention is always better than cure, so try the following tactics:
P Mulch bare soil with chipped bark to deter weed germination.
P Hoe frequently when weeds are small, ideally on a dry, breezy day, to sever shoots from the roots. This kills annuals and slows the growth of perennials. Hand-pull larger weeds and dig out perennial roots.
Clear weedy ground by covering with weed-control fabric or thick cardboard to exclude light. After a year or so, even the toughest weeds will be killed.
Avoid using weedkiller if possible, due to its negative impact on the environment. Alternatives include careful use of a weed burner to kill small weeds in paving and gravel.
Do it now
Prevent weeds releasing their seeds by pulling them up or cutting off their seedheads now. Then pull or dig out perennial weeds. It’s easier now than when the soil is hard and dry in summer. Start mulching bare ground and continue over winter.
Handy kit
1 Hoe
2 Hand fork
3 Thick cardboard
4 Weed-control fabric
5 Weed burner