Common Types of Garden Weeds and How To Control Them

Weeding is one of the most tedious chores a gardener can experience. They often pop up right next to your beautiful garden vegetables in an attempt to steal all the nutrients from the soil. Over a short time, weeds expand their roots, crowding up your crops’ space, and compete with the plants around for space. In the end, you risk receiving poor and nutrient-low produce.

If you want to have success growing your vegetables, you need to remove the weeds as soon as possible. That way, you will reduce the chances of them reappearing in your garden.

So, if you:

• Intend to tidy up your veggie garden;
• Wish to know how to recognise the most common types of garden weeds;
• Want to learn the right weed control techniques,

Then keep on reading! We will start by explaining the main group types of invasive garden weeds you can find in your UK garden. The better you learn to identify them, the higher chance you have to effectively remove them.

Annuals

Those are the weeds that develop only for a year. The main challenge with annuals is their seeding. These plants spread their seeds so fast and grow so quickly, that you won’t even notice when you’ve gotten a bunch of unwanted plants growing undisturbed in your backyard.

That is why you want to remove the annual weeds before they start developing seed heads.

You might already know some of them, but the most common annual varieties are:

Perennials

Removing perennial weeds is harder than tackling the annuals, as the perennials have stronger root systems. If you don’t remove the whole root system, there is a high chance for the plant to reappear in the next flowering period. Because of the different root types that perennials have, they will require a different eradication approach.

Taproots

The weeds with these types of roots have a dominant root with smaller ones on the sides. The roots grow downwards, retrieving moisture and nutrients from the soil.

With these weeds, you want to remove the main root. Use a knife or a daisy grubber. Typical representatives of taproot weeds are dandelions, thistle and burdock.

Dense mats

Some plants even spread their roots under the soil, forming dense clumps. An effective solution will be to lift and pull them out with a fork. The weeds that form dense mats are coarse grass, nettle, and yarrow.

Brittle roots

Plants like bindweed, ground elder, and creeping thistle have very brittle roots and break apart easily. If a piece of root remains in the ground, a plant will be able to produce smaller shoots from the piece.

Therefore, you need to try to remove all the root bits. You can also use a weedkiller, as it is the most effective method to combat brittle roots.

Creeping roots

These weeds are quite stubborn because of their reproductive strategy. Creeping weeds spread not only through seed drops but also through roots, stems or even leaves. Among these weeds are clover, creeping buttercup, and some varieties of speedwell.

With these weed plants, the best option for eradication would be prevention. After you remove the plants, make sure to clean your gardening tools to prevent accidentally spreading seeds. Cultivate the topsoil with a hoe and place a protective layer on the ground, like garden mulch or black polythene.

Deep roots

Here, we talk about plants such as horsetail or Japanese knotweed. If you are not new to gardening, you know what problems these plants can cause. Even weed killers can be useless. The only way to prevent them from growing is to deprive the weeds of any sunlight.

Once you pull out the plants, make sure to check for leftover roots, then cover the soil with black polythene. If the plants keep reappearing, then you might need to seek professional help.

Woody weeds

Woody weeds also belong to the perennial group of weeds, however, we decided to give them special attention, as they require a slightly different approach.

A light gust of wind is enough to bring the seeds from the neighbouring trees to your garden. Some species can sprout through the established roots underground. So, even if it seems that you have removed all the uninvited vegetation in your garden, they can still reappear next year.

The most common vegetable garden weeds that form a woody stem are mulberry, ash, privet, ivy, honeysuckle, brambles, and sycamore.

There are several things you can do to control the reappearance of the persistent woody weeds:

How to successfully get rid of the weeds

There are two main ways to remove weeds, regardless of their type. One involves the use of chemical sprays and the other is an eco-friendly approach which includes manual work.

Herbicides can be truly dangerous. Not only is there a chance of killing other plants, but they can also find their way to nearby drinking water, rivers, and lakes. If you want to avoid using herbicides, then your other option would be to remove the weeds by hand.

So we will focus on the safer but more laborious weeding technique first which does not involve chemicals. Don’t worry, though, you won’t necessarily have to excavate the garden with a single hoe. There are many gardening tools available for your disposal, which could make the process easier.

With that being said, here is how to pull weeds correctly:

1. Identify the weeds that you want to get rid of. Carefully examine the garden area for any pesky weeds that need to be removed. Look at the leaf shape – wide leaves may indicate dock or dandelion, but narrow, grass-like blades may reveal couch grass. Take note of growth patterns as well – spreading plants with tendrils may suggest bindweed, whilst upright stalks might represent thistles. Pay attention to blossoming periods and colours, too. You can also try one of those smartphone apps for quick plant identification on the go.
2. Loosen up the ground around the weed. With the help of a hoe or a rake-type tool break the clumps of soil where the base of the weed meets the ground. The process will be easier if you remove weeds after rain or watering;
3. Grab the weed by the base. Don’t rush into snatching the plant, otherwise, you risk breaking it in half, with the roots remaining in the ground. Depending on what you use, you can grab the plant with your hands or a weeding tool, like a weeder. Make sure to grab the weed as close to the roots as possible;
4. Pull up the weed. With a pulling motion, remove the weed. However, don’t put too much force in to avoid tearing the roots. You want to remove the whole root, otherwise, there is a chance for a plant to reappear soon. If the taproot is hard to pull, dig a bit deeper and free it up. If you don’t have special tools, you can use an old kitchen knife;
5. Remove the remaining roots with a weeding tool. Once you pull the weed, there is a chance for the smaller roots to remain in the soil. Dig a bit to find the roots and remove them manually;
6. Dispose of the plants. It’s important to dispose of the weeds correctly. That way you eliminate the chances of them growing back in your garden. An unmaintained pile of grass can also become a perfect home for many crawling garden pests. Therefore, collect the weeds in a trash bag right after you remove them. Weeds are also compostable, however, you need to make sure that the temperature of your compost heap is hot enough to kill the roots.

Unfortunately, there are times, when nothing but a herbicide can save your garden from stubborn weeds. We do not recommend using weed control sprays unless you are sure that no other method works for you or you are dealing with a widespread weed infestation.

Before applying the solution, you need to know several things:

When choosing a herbicide, always check the labels. Usually, they are divided into two types based on their interaction with the weeds:

• Selective herbicides target specific types of weeds and avoid garden plants;
• Non-selective herbicides kill any plant in its way. They are perfect for preparing the area for a new garden, or for clearing an overgrown garden.

Once you choose your weed killer, make sure to read the instructions carefully. Each herbicide has its own way of application, therefore, follow the instructions on the solution. Protect the plants that you don’t want to harm by separating the weeds from the vegetables with a cardboard barrier, or any other solid protection.

Weed prevention techniques for healthy vegetable garden

Weeds can be burdening, therefore, you need to think of ways to prevent them from reappearing. Below, you can find the proven methods for controlling weeds in your garden:

1. Mulching – A correctly installed barrier can significantly suppress the spread of weeds. Mulching is one such barrier. Deep organic mulches protect the soil from unwanted seeds and eliminate the chances of weed reappearance.
2. Landscaping fabric – Another barrier that you can place is a landscaping fabric. They are very easy to install, let the water come through and at the same time don’t allow seeds to go further than the fabric surface.
3. Root barriers – They can be installed right into the soil. Imagine it as an underground wall, that blocks roots from growing further. To protect a vegetable garden, you can install paving slabs, an iron sheet or even thinner root barrier fabrics.
4. Cover crop – This solution is quite effective for protecting the soil between the periods of normal crop production. Winter cover crops are used to protect the soil from winter disruption and provide surface protection. During the summer season, cover crops are commonly used to fill in gaps between crop rotations, improve the soil, and eradicate weeds.
5. Controlled watering – This is not exactly a special technique, however, it requires attention. Careful irrigation of the soil is one of the ways of avoiding excessive weed growth. Water only the roots of your plants. The soil can contain seeds or roots, which once come into contact with water, might start growing.

Do you need help with clearing your garden from pesky weeds?

Fantastic Services at your service. The handy professionals that we work with will help you get rid of the excessive vegetation and invasive weeds once and for all! No need to stand on your knees, pulling out annoying weeds all day. Give your back a break, and entrust the job to professionals!

The service includes a visit from a team of two specially trained gardeners, clearance of the area and removal of the green waste. Upon request, they can also trim your hedges and prune your trees. Sounds promising? Then, get your garden clearance service now!

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Do you think we missed something? Or maybe you have something to share? Feel free to leave a comment below!