Five Ways to Eradicate Weeds | BBC Gardeners World Magazine

Hoeing out weed seedlings between plants

In this short video, Alan Titchmarsh explains the difference between annual and perennial weeds and how to get rid of them.

There are lots of different ways to deal with weeds, from hoeing to pulling them up. It's best to weed on a dry day, when the soil is moist – this will make them easier to dig up, then clear away.

Here are five ways to eradicate garden weeds.

Dig them up

Use a garden hand trowel to remove spreading weeds like couch grass. If digging up perennials such as bindweed or nettles, dig deep using a garden fork and be sure to pull up the whole root, as tiny pieces left will become new weeds.

Digging up couch grass — Digging up couch grass with its entire roots

In this short video, Alan Titchmarsh shows how to weed by hand, to remove perennial weeds such as thistles and annual weeds such as speedwell:

Hoe them off

Hoe over bare areas of soil weekly to sever weed roots and create a dry surface that helps prevent weed seeds from germinating. Choose a dry day, so that weeds on the surface dehydrate, wither and die. Find out more about using a hoe.

Hoe weeds — Hoeing out weed seedlings between plants

Pull them out

Pull out annual weeds such as groundsel or chickweed with the roots, before they have a chance to set seed. Hand weed after rain has softened the soil, allowing you to pull out complete root systems. Weeds such as herb Robert do not root deeply and are easy to remove by hand.

Pull up groundsel — Pulling up groundsel by hand

Scrape them out

Scrape out weeds, such as dandelions or meadowgrass, between gaps in paving using a weeding tool or an old knife. Tease them out, roots and all. If you choose to use chemicals, you could also apply a residual path weedkiller afterwards, to prevent further weed growth.

Weeds in paving — A dandelion growing between paving slabs

Spray them

If you have a bad perennial weed infestation and don't mind using chemicals, you could use a systemic weedkiller. Spray or dab onto dry leaves, when rain is not forecast, in midsummer. If tackling bindweed, train up a bamboo cane first to isolate from the other plants. Always read the label.

Japanese knotweed can be a very serious problem and can be difficult to eradicate. Professional help may be necessary.

Spraying bindweed with glyphosate — Spraying weedkiller on bindweed trained up a bamboo cane