Garden weeds only begin to sprout once they get sufficient sunlight, which is why hundreds seem to appear simultaneously in spring, and they flourish in warm spots such as gravel driveways or between patio slabs. Removing weeds can be an incredibly challenging gardening task, as their roots tend to burrow deep into cracks or compacted soil, meaning that even if you eliminate the surface plant, it typically grows back within a few weeks.
However, Alan Titchmarsh has revealed a natural method to tackle these weeds without resorting to any chemical products or spending a single penny. All you need is a basic garden hoe and a warm day, as one of the most effective ways to kill weeds is to harness the very same sunlight that helps them flourish, reports the Express. In an online video, Alan said: “What you are trying to do with your Dutch hoe is separate the [weed] from its roots and that way it will cook once it’s exposed to sunshine.”
How do you get rid of gravel weeds?
Sunlight alone will not ordinarily kill weeds, but Alan Titchmarsh has a straightforward gardening technique to dry them out and cause them to wither away in no time.
Simply run a hoe across the surface of the gravel and slice through the weeds at the base. Then, leave the uprooted weed untouched and try to keep as much gravel away from the now-exposed roots as possible.
Given that the weed has been freshly cut, it will be far more vulnerable, and on a warm day, the intense sun will completely dehydrate the plant.
Alan said: “Don’t try and dig with the hoe. Remember, you’re always skimming. The more of the weed root you can expose to the drying rays of the sun, the quicker they will die.”
It is a straightforward method to eliminate weeds without pulling them or resorting to chemical solutions that are damaging to the environment and can harm local wildlife.
Can you use sunlight to remove patio weeds?
Patio weeds can also be tackled using the sunlight technique, but bear in mind that most garden hoes are designed for soil, and they can be cumbersome to use on slabs.
Hoes are heavy, and you are more likely to chip the stone. Instead, try using a patio knife, as it will be far more effective and fit better into the cracks.
Alan said: “When it comes to patios and terraces made of stones…if you do find there’s soil between your paving slabs and weeds are growing there, a patio knife is really quite useful.”
All you need to do is carefully run a patio knife between the joints, let the weeds fall where they fall, and let the sunlight dry them out completely.
This technique takes only a few minutes to carry out and is one of the most efficient ways to quickly banish a large number of weeds without spending your afternoon pulling them up.
