As the garden comes back into life so do the weeds. Do you know what your weeds are telling you?
What is a weed?
One definition we like is that a weed is any plant in the wrong place. If a plant you love self seeds somewhere you don’t want it you could call it a weed, or just a plant to move.
Even perennial weeds like dandelions, ground elder and willow herb may have a place in your garden. Most of these native species support a huge range of beneficial wildlife and insects. The trick for gardeners is to remove the flower heads before they go to seed.
What are your weeds telling you?
If you have stubborn patches of weeds that always return in the same place whatever you do they may be sending you a message about the soil they grow in.
- Dandelions can indicate compacted soil that is low in nutrients, which might be a great place to grow herbs
- Nettles excess nitrogen, harvest the nettles to help your compost or make a liquid feed
- Docks and other plants with long roots show there is less nutrients near the surface, you will need to add some to help any plants you put there
There is much more information on this subject on gardening websites such as the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society)
Weeds keep the soil covered.
Like us, soil doesn’t like to have too much exposed to cold, wind and wet. A covering will protect your soil from the extremes of temperature and conditions. Weeds or plants provide that green cover, allowing the soil microbiome to flourish. The more we expose the soil the more it gets damaged.
Learn to love your weeds
Many weeds are native wildflowers, embrace them to help your garden diversity!
If you need help to design your garden into a more nature friendly environment contact us here at Chopwell. At your free initial consultation our team can suggest ideas and options to welcome nature into your garden without compromising your ‘piece of paradise’.
