Did you know that “Volunteer plant” can be considered as a weed? Haaaa! I know right?!?! Volunteer plants are those plants such as tomatoes, potatoes that grow in areas of the garden where they have not been planted. I have enjoyed plenty of those in the garden, we had basil, green peppers, and POTATO, now that I know now, I began to wonder if I was wrong to let them grow? As I write this I have tomato growing in the from and sage…. OHH
However, it is important to note that weeds are undesirable, and they ruin the look of the garden. When left for prolonged periods in the garden they will compete with the crops for nutrients, water, and sunlight. The reality is weeds should never be given the opportunity to spread, as it increases the amount of work one must do to remove them.
Certain weeds produce a large canopy of leaves whilst others have a spreading prostate habit, many of which are hosts for plant diseases, insects, and nematodes. Many weeds are introduced in the garden through topsoil and certain manures, knowing where your topsoil comes from is a great thing to know
Some common weeds
- Water grass
Easily one of the worst weeds to have growing in your garden. It is described as a sedge with small bulbs, and they grow in hard conditions and sprout once they get moisture. It can be controlled by careful forking of the ground
- Couch grass.
Often used for turfing playing fields. Once established it can be a difficult to get rid off. Constant forking should assist
- Sorrel
Has two distinct species that are found in gardens and are distinguished by their clover like leaves. They have a soft growth, and the top growth is easy to remove by hoeing or hand pulling but the bulbs are rather difficult to eradicate
- Purslane
Is a annual, rising from the tiny black seeds, which are spread from the fruit capsule. It reaches the seeding stage very quickly, this in turns means even removing them in the garden needs to be done quickly. It is characterised as a fleshy, reddish weed.
- Blackjack
The infamous “blackjack” is known for its branching habit and white ray florets. The foliage resembles that of the African marigold as do the seeds
- Chickweed
Common weed grows 10-15cm high with significant white flowers. It has a soft growth, and it is easily removed by hand hoeing.
Now that you have an idea what weeds are, and they can easily take over your garden. How do you plan on controlling them?
For me, am willing to pay my daughters to remove them while I watch fair game?
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