Keeping Weeds at Bay

You’ll never be able to completely stop weeds from popping up in your garden, but there are ways to ensure they have less places to grow.

Bare patches of soil will quickly be colonised by both annual and perennial weeds, so a well-stocked border is less likely to support a thriving population of these pesky plants. If you have gaps, plug them by planting ground covering plants. Alternatively mulch bare soil with a thick, 8cm (3in), layer of bark chippings, well-rotted manure or leaf mould in the spring. Not only will this prevent weeds from growing, but it will help to retain moisture in the soil. If you have a large area of bare soil, such as an unused patch at the allotment, cover with plastic, landscape material or even old carpet to prevent weeds from germinating.