10 Tips to Survive the Battle with Weeds

1) Remove the Weeds Before they Seed!

Certain perennials and most annual weeds will spread their seed as much as possible. The secret to winning the war on weeds is to get them before they seed. Identify your weeds and find out when they typically start seeding, ensure you remove them from your garden before they do.

This is all easier said than done and it may take you a few growing seasons to nail it down. Spend 10 minutes each day in your garden with a hoe eliminating all the seedlings you can find, that's how you keep your garden weed free.

Check out : Top tips for hand weeding your garden.

2) Collect Weeds and Dispose of Annual Weeds Regularly.

A common mistake gardeners make is to collect all their weeds in a pile and just leave them there. Be warned if the weed has already started it's seeding then it may still spread seeds. Not all weeds can be composted and some may even spread seeds inside your compost.

Carry a bucket or bag around when weeding, once your finished put it in your food or garden waste recycling bin.

3) Crowd Weeds Out by Reducing Spacing.

Growing vegetables this year? Tired of picking weeds out your borders or vegetable rows? Crowd those suckers out! Weeds need space to grow, give them none and they won't grow. You can often reduce the recommended plant spacing for vegetables up to 25%.

Don't rush into this one. Reduce the spacing between plants a little each year. If your plants aren't growing properly then reverse the process. We also recommend growing cover crops outwith your growing season, weeds will quickly colonise any bare soil.

Growing Vegetables? Read this: Effective Weed Control in Vegetable Gardens

4) If You Don't Mulch, Start in 2023

If you don't mulch you should start. Cover any bare soil with a mulch of bark at least 3 inches thick. Ornamental bark is too large and may allow weeds through, try to use smaller bark chips. Mulches will keep the weeds away, conserve moisture and they look good too.

Alternative mulches include : straw, newspaper, cardboard and old carpet. If your not planning on using an area of garden you could always cover it with heavy duty plastic sheeting, it won't degrade and so be sure to remove it when your ready to use the area again.

5) Gravel, Slate or Stone Chippings Make Weeding Easier.

Lay some weed control fabric, cut holes for your plants and cover with gravel, slate or stone chippings. Not only does it show of your plants but it looks great and is an easy way to create a low maintenance garden.

When done correctly the weeds will be kept at bay for several years and you can easily pull up any that start to grow next to your plants. Eventually weeds will settle on top of the gravel and grow, they shouldn't be hard to pull out.

Got Gravel? Read this: Prevent Weeds on Gravel Driveways & Surfaces

6) Watch Out for Weed Seeds in Manure & Compost.

Composting, it's a magical thing, rich nutrients for your plants and vegetables and all it takes is food scraps and old plants! Be warned homemade compost can be a hot bead for weed seeds. Lurking, waiting for the right conditions to grow. Do not compost weeds which have seeds.

The same applies if your buying manure locally or from a farm. It's likely sat outside for weeks or months, weed seeds will have been carried in on the wind or by the animals themselves. Scrape off the surface of the manure and dispose of it before you plant.  

7) Look for Weeds Before Planting Potted Plants.

Potted plants bought from supermarkets or department stores may have been sitting outside for long periods. Who knows where they came from! Before you start planting them in the garden check for emerging seedlings, if there are any scrape the top layer of soil off and bin it.