In June, gardeners are mainly kept busy with pruning spring flowering shrubs and deadheading to encourage flowering.
However, it is also very important to stay on top of weeds, as they tend to grow quickly during the summer.
Gardening expert and Managing Director of Hedges Direct Jamie Shipley emphasised why regularly pulling or hoeing persistent weeds can be beneficial in the future.
He said: “Weeds will grow quickly during the summer so it’s important to stay on top of weeding to prevent them from setting seeds for later in the season and next year.
“Persistent, perennial weeds such as bindweed, ground elder and mare’s tail should be pulled or hoed regularly.”
The gardening pro went on to explain: “This will prevent them from being able to photosynthesise and gradually knock them back until they no longer return.
“Using a bark mulch will also help to suppress weeds and retain water in your garden beds.”
The expert highlighted that, while he doesn’t usually recommend chemicals that “negatively impact your soil’s biodiversity”, some weeds can be more persistent than others.
He added: “Deep-rooted and persistent weeds can be difficult to kill, so that’s when you’ll need to resort to a weed killer.
“Instead of using a chemical weed killer, lemon, vinegar or rock salt can be used to dry weeds out and kill them through dehydration.
“These natural herbicides are ‘non-targeted’, meaning they have the potential to harm all plants, not just weeds and will stop any plants from growing in that space for a long time so make sure to keep them well away from any other flower beds in your garden.”
He concluded: “I recommend only using these methods in paved areas to protect your other plants.”
So, consistent weeding and mulching continue to be the most effective and eco-friendly ways to keep your garden weed-free throughout the summer.
Natural herbicides, while tempting for tough weeds, should be used with caution due to their potential to harm surrounding plants.
