Organic Gardening

If you are starting a brand new garden, taking over a weed-infested one or incorporating a new area, the first stage in weed control is to make the ground as clean as possible right from the start. First, clear the ground completely by digging it, removing weeds as you progress. Then cover the ground; sow the lawn area and plant a "cleaning crop" in the borders.

Begin by digging over the whole site and removing as much as you possibly can. If the ground is infested with one of the more pernicious weeds, like couch grass (Agropyron repens) or ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), you should not expect to win first time as any tiny piece of root that is left in the soil may multiply to form a massive root again.

Annual weeds can then be put on to the compost heap provided they have not been allowed to seed. Roots of other perennial weeds, those that continue year after year, such as dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), and docks (Rumex sp.) should be removed and destroyed. Never put any perennial weeds on the compost heap because they will only be transplanted again when you spread the compost.

If you plan to lay a lawn,