The common dictionary definition of a weed is, a wild plant growing where it’s not wanted.
I think they can sometimes look fabulous such as a sunny yellow buttercup or cheerful little daisy that pops up to surprise us and I usually choose not to remove these while they are small and unobtrusive but leave them to share their nectar with the pollinators for a while.
However, these and other common weeds can take hold and become a nuisance in the summer months, especially when the weather is as it has been, that perfect combination of wet and warm and if you’re not quite ready to embrace a completely wild look for the whole of your outside space just yet, read on. I'll share with you some easy, sustainable and environmentally friendly ways to control weeds.
Weeds generally tend to fall into one of two categories, perennial and annual. Annual weeds have a life cycle of a single year and produce hundreds and sometimes thousands of seeds to ensure continuation of their species. Perennial weeds can live for many years, dying back to ground level in the winter and reappearing with vigour in the spring. They develop deep root systems that are harder to pull out and so are more difficult to control and the shoots along these and their stems grow new plants to produce seeds for germination. If you want to control this type of weed, it’s important to remove all parts since they can regrow from even a tiny piece of left-behind root.
It is possible to manage, if not completely eradicate, most weeds, in an environmentally friendly way and without the need to resort to chemical weedkillers that are both expensive and potentially harmful to the plants and wildlife in your outdoor space and beyond. You can learn more about gardening in a sustainable way here New Year New Start.
Here are some tried and tested methods that I’ve been using to see a definite reduction in weeds in recent years. Do keep at it and your perseverance will pay off over time, even if it feels a bit daunting at first and if like me, your neighbours ask why you’ve got your kitchen equipment in the garden…….share the tips!
1. Pulling Up By Hand
A small area of soil, window box or planter will release weeds most easily when the soil is damp after rain or watering. Try to get to them before the weeds set seed in preparation for next year and remove with as much of the root attached as you can to prevent them re-growing. If they’re a little stubborn, a small garden fork, trowel or even an old spoon from the back of the kitchen drawer can help to ensure you don’t disturb the roots of the plants you want to keep around them.
2. Hoeing
For larger flower or vegetable beds, a hoe can be useful if you have one. It saves a lot of bending and also allows you to cover a bigger area more quickly and then spend the extra time admiring your handiwork. If you can, choose a dry day for this, after working your way over all of the bare soil, the weeds should be sitting on the surface and will then dry out and die. If the soil is too wet or you walk on the areas that you have hoed, there is the possibility that their roots may find their way back into the soil and they will re-grow.
3. Cutting
In larger areas or where there are only weeds and no plants that you want to keep, repeatedly cutting the weeds down to the ground with a strimmer, shears, or garden scissors will weaken and potentially kill many types of weeds over time.
4. Raking
A weeding knife, used with care if you have one, is a good tool for getting in between paving slabs and raking out the weeds with the hooked end. These can also be used on driveways, path, patio and wall edges to hook out the weeds. It’s a time consuming job but very satisfying and especially effective if followed up with point 6.
5. Boiling Water
Hot water from a kettle or a pan in which you’ve just cooked some veggies is very effective at killing weeds. I often use this in conjunction with some of the above ideas, being sure to keep the spout/pouring lip low to the ground to avoid splashes and that hands, feet and legs and protected from the steam and hot liquid.
6. Lemon juice
If you have any leftover lemons, or lemon juice from Pancake Day hidden away at the back of the cupboard, the citric acid in these can work really well on smaller areas of path, paving, driveways and walls. Unlike other fruit juices, it doesn’t attract wasps, ants etc. so no need to worry.
7. Flame/Weeding Gun
This is my least favourite and most potentially hazardous method so approach with caution and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. If you ensure that you wear appropriate personal protection and have a water source handy in case of emergencies, you can burn off the weeds between paving slabs, on patios, pathways and driveways.
You may see, or have heard suggestions about the use of bleach or salt to kill weeds and although these do work, I would strongly discourage the use of both. They will kill plants, birds or mammals that feed on any creatures such as worms or slugs which come into contact with it, adversely affect the PH of the soil in any area of run off and potentially cause wider pollution.
Finally, if, unlike me, you are super organised and would prefer to limit the amount of time you spend on weed control in the first place, prevention methods in late winter and very early spring might be a better idea, you’ll find lots of tips for that here Prevention Is Better Than Cure
If you do spot the occasional returning weed after trying the tips above don’t worry, just sit back and admire the resilience of nature, it’s a life lesson for us all.
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