[Music]
Hello! Weeds are a bane to us gardeners.
It's that combination of persistence and resistance
that makes them so frustrating.
Weeds can employ some pretty underhand tactics
to get the better of us -
breaking off bits of root that then regrow,
throwing up seedheads that blow all around the garden,
or sending their roots
deep underground to evade capture.
To outwit weeds, you'll need to wage a
concerted campaign on several fronts.
But it can be done - 
and without resorting to weedkillers.
So here's how to win the war on weeds.
Listen up now! There are two enemies at
work here - annual weeds and perennial weeds.
Annual weeds complete their life cycle - 
sprouting, flowering and setting seed - in one season.
They're easier to control,
but spread quickly by seed.
Perennial weeds continue growing for a
number of years but have far-reaching roots,
making them harder to control.
Starting with a weedy garden can be intimidating and demoralizing.
Begin your campaign to gain back control
by cutting or mowing weeds to the ground,
then cover with a
light-excluding membrane or mulch
to deprive the weeds beneath of
life-sustaining sunlight.
Black polythene is very effective for this.
Or use pieces of cardboard.
Remove any staples or tape, then position the cardboard
so there's a wide overlap between each piece
to make it harder for weeds to push through.
Weigh the cardboard down to stop it blowing away.
You will probably need to replace
the cardboard as it rots down.
Perennial weeds with deep or spreading roots
including bindweed, ground elder and nettles
can take a year or more to die off,
but all those weeds will eventually rot down,
helping to feed the soil for the plants that follow.
With the ground cleared it's important to act quickly
to remove any resurfacing weeds.
Carefully dig out the resurgents with a trowel or fork,
taking care to remove all of the roots.
Fragments of perennial weeds can easily 
re-root and spread,
so dispose of the root away from your compost heap.
Another option is to submerge roots
in a bucket of water for at least a month
until they turn into a sloppy goo,
which can then be poured over your compost.
Tackle recently germinated weeds in existing beds
by distubing the surface of the ground
as soon as they appear.
Use a sharp hoe to skim the surface and
dislodge or slice the seedlings.
Do this in the morning if possible, and on a windy or
sunny day so that the exposed seedlings quickly wither.
Regularly sharpen your hoe
so that the blade slices through the weeds like a knife.
Act fast - a little effort now will save you
considerable trouble later on!
Revisit growing areas once a week to remove young
seedlings before they've had a chance to establish.
The adage 'one year's seeding
makes seven years' weeding' is very true!
Prolific weeds such as dandelion quickly spread
if they're allowed to produce seeds,
so always aim to remove weeds before they get
a chance to flower and set seed.
Organic mulches like compost and leaf mold help to
suppress weeds,
while feeding the soil for the crops you're growing.
Lay them around existing crops to give them an
advantage over the yet-to-emerge weeds beneath.
Mulching like this also means you can adopt a
no-till method of gardening.
By sowing and planting into this top layer of compost
there'll be no need to disturb the soil below,
so the weed seeds within it will never reach
the surface to germinate.
Take a look at this picture as an example -  the weedy
strip is ground that hasn't been mulched,
while the clear ground either side
beautifully demonstrates how a thick layer of mulch
keeps weeds away and the ground nice and clean.
Resistance is far from futile!
Consider covering bare soil
with a cover crop or green manure
to crowd out weeds and add valuable
organic material.
Fast growers like mustards may be sown as late as
autumn to cover the soil surface in a matter of weeks.
Weeds won't get a look-in!
Then, just before the new growing season, dig them in
or pull them out to reveal clear soil ready for planting.
Intensive cropping using leafy vegetables
to stop light from reaching the ground
is another efficient way to clean the soil of weeds.
Potatoes for example have masses of lush foliage that's
great at excluding light.
Every gardener should aim to keep soil covered
as much as possible,
whether through efficient use of space with multiple
crops grown side by side,
or with generous layers of organic mulch or a temporary
cover crop to nourish and protect the soil.
Peace at last!
Once your garden is clear of weeds, you'll want to keep it that way.
Check new plants for lurking weeds like creeping buttercup,
and check that any bought-in manure or compost
is well rotted and free of weed seeds too.
Keep compost heaps and potting mixes
covered to prevent blown in seeds from settling,
and maintain clean tools and boots to
minimize the spread of weeds.
Don't let the weeds get you down!
Persistence pays off, and once you've gained control
hoiking out the occasional weed
can be seen as a pleasure - not a chore!
Have you ever had to do battle
with a weedy, jungle-like garden?
We'd love to hear your stories. Please do
share them in the comments section below.
And please also consider subscribing if
you haven't already done so -
we'd love to have you join the ranks!
I'll catch you next time.
[Music]