How do I get rid of weeds?

The distinction that matters is annual versus perennial. Annuals grow from seed each year and die if you sever them from their roots. Perennials store energy underground and will regrow from a fragment, which is why chopping them up with a rotavator multiplies them rather than removing them.

What you'll need

• Hoe
• Garden fork
• Hand weeder
• Mulch — compost, bark or cardboard
• Gloves

Step by step

1. Identify whether you're dealing with annual or perennial weeds.Annuals pull up easily with shallow roots. Perennials have thick, deep or spreading roots, and regrow after being pulled.
2. Hoe annual weeds off at soil level on a dry, sunny day.Severed from their roots on dry soil they shrivel. On wet soil they often re-root.
3. Hoe little and often, when weeds are small.Five minutes weekly beats two hours monthly, and small weeds haven't set seed yet.
4. Dig perennial weeds out completely, following the root as far as it goes.Every fragment left will regrow. Take your time with these.
5. Never rotavate ground infested with perennial weeds.You chop the roots into hundreds of fragments, each of which becomes a new plant.
6. For heavy perennial infestation, exclude light with cardboard and a thick mulch for a full season.Slow but very effective, and it improves the soil at the same time.
7. Mulch beds with 5–8cm of compost or bark once cleared.Mulch is the actual long-term answer — it suppresses germination and makes the survivors easy to pull.
8. Remove weeds before they set seed, even if you do nothing else.One season's seeding is several years' weeding. Cut off the flower heads if nothing else.

Tips

• Weeding is much easier after rain, when roots come up whole. Hoeing is much more effective in dry weather. Pick the technique to suit the day.
• Perennial weed roots shouldn't go in an ordinary compost heap — they'll survive. Drown them in a bucket of water for a few weeks first, or dispose of them separately.
• Ground cover planting is the pleasant version of mulching: plants occupying the space that weeds would otherwise take.
• Some 'weeds' are worth tolerating in parts of a garden — clover fixes nitrogen and many support pollinators. Ruthlessness is only needed where it matters.

Common mistakes

• Rotavating perennial weeds — Every root fragment becomes a new plant. It multiplies the problem enormously.
• Pulling perennials and leaving the root — They regrow within weeks, often stronger.
• Letting weeds flower and seed — A single plant can produce thousands of seeds that persist in the soil for years.
• Clearing ground and leaving it bare — Bare soil is an invitation. Mulch or plant it immediately.

Questions people ask