Tackle perennial weeds

Tackle perennial weeds like bindweed, couch grass and ground elder weekly at this time of year, as the moment your back is turned they’ll take over your garden and swamp your precious plants.

These pernicious, fast-growing weeds are every gardener's nightmare, but it's a rare patch that doesn't have at least a few of them muscling their way through the ground here and there. Most of the time perennial weeds are quite liveable with – even those considered particularly difficult to get rid of, such as marestail – as long as you don't let them get out of hand.

Act the moment you see them, forking them out by the roots as far as possible. For hard-to-reach areas, glyphosate-based weedkillers are the nuclear option, but if you don't mind chemicals they deal with perennial weeds very thoroughly. Weeds draw them right into their systems, without affecting other plants, killing even the most out-of-reach roots. Apply to individual weeds with a paintbrush – mixing with wallpaper paste avoids splashes - or use Roundup gel which comes in a handy applicator. You’ll find all you need in our garden centre here in Pickering, along with knowledgeable staff who can help you choose the right combination of methods to suit you.