5 top tips for effective weed control

Effective weed control begins with the right strategy. Weeds are infuriatingly persistent and need little excuse to keep popping up in your lawn, flower beds or decking.

So, how do you make sure that weeds don’t have you constantly on your knees? Here are some tips for effective weed control. Show your back garden who is boss!

Effective weed control: how to win the war

1. Attack early. Be vigilant when you’re in the garden. Keep an eye out for conditions in which weeds can thrive – i.e. thin patches in your lawn. And when weeds do pop up, get to them early – don’t give them the chance to establish and spread. After rain is a good time to get out and get weeding!

2. Tool up. Make sure you have the right garden tools for the job. Depending on the weeds you’re dealing with, you’ll need tools such as a sharp weeding knife with a narrow blade, a good weeder, a garden hoe and a trimmer. A bucket, knee pads and a sturdy pair of gloves are a good idea too.

3. Leave no root behind. The first rule of weeding club is: dig the root out. If you just take the leaves, the weed will grow back. Grab it and pull up. If it’s not possible to get at the root, chop off the weed heads as frequently as possible. It will stop them from seeding and it might kill them.

4. Make mulch your mate. A layer of good mulch will keep your weeds in the dark and, without light to grow, most will die before they get the chance to get established and become a blot on your garden. Your layer of mulch should be 4-5 centimetres deep and should be maintained at this level.

5. Get weed control fabric protection. A good weed control fabric, such as Weedtex, will allow all the good stuff into the soil (nutrients, water and air), while keeping out the light that weeds need to grow. It is particularly effective at suppressing weeds beneath garden decking and decorative borders.
6. Prevent weeds from invading your decking Read our guide on how to prevent weeds from coming through your decking.

Get your weed control supplies from the new Knight Fencing shop today