As summer unfolds, unchecked weeds can quickly overwhelm your garden, robbing the soil of vital nutrients and providing shelter for pests. Monty Don, the BBC’s renowned gardening expert, stresses the importance of diligent weeding this June to maintain a healthy garden.
Weeds sprout rapidly across UK gardens, spoiling the appearance of borders and lawns alike. Beyond their unsightly growth, weeds aggressively compete with your plants for moisture and nutrients. Moreover, they harbor common garden pests such as aphids, greenflies, and mealybugs, all of which damage plants by feeding on their leaves and roots.
More worryingly, these pests often transmit harmful diseases. Aphids, for example, are notorious carriers of mosaic viruses that cause leaf discoloration and weaken your plants further.
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With these threats in mind, Monty Don advises making the most of June’s warmer, drier weather to tackle weeds head-on. On his blog, he notes, “June is a month when weeds really kick into action so all vegetable plots need regular weeding and nothing beats a hoe for this.”
For those unfamiliar, a hoe features a flat, staple-shaped blade attached at an angle to a handle—ideal for slicing weeds just beneath the soil’s surface. Monty emphasizes the importance of hoeing during dry weather, preferably in the morning, as this prevents weed roots from re-establishing. Morning weeding exposes the plants to the sun throughout the day, helping to dry and kill the weeds naturally.
Once the weeds have wilted, Monty recommends collecting them late in the afternoon and adding them to your compost heap. Although weeds can be troublesome, they are rich in nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, making them valuable compost ingredients when dried properly.
Take care to thoroughly dry tough weeds such as bindweed before composting to eliminate the risk of regrowth. Additionally, avoid composting weeds that have already seeded—like daisies—as these may sprout anew in your compost.
Alongside weeds, fallen leaves make excellent additions to compost due to their nitrogen content, while twigs, though slower to decompose, provide essential carbon. By managing weeds effectively and composting wisely, gardeners can enhance soil fertility and ensure vibrant, flourishing plants throughout the summer months.