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You don’t need to be an expert to identify the weeds in your garden. Our handy guide will help you to spot weeds and check how they grow and spread. Equipment needed: Wildflower books; Plant identification apps – try our identify a plant tool; MyAdvice can be used by RHS members for plant identification enquiries
- Stinging Nettle. Botanical Name: Urtica dioica. Height: 1 – 2 metres. Notes: The Stinging Nettle is known by most for the skin irritation it causes upon direct contact.
- Dandelion. Botanical Name: Taraxacum officinale. Height: 10 – 15 cm. Notes: A well-known garden weed with vibrant yellow flowers. You’ll typically find Dandelions in cultivated land and grassy areas.
- Poison Ivy. Botanical Name: Toxicodendron radicans. Height: Up to 2 metres. Notes: Poison Ivy causes skin irritation through direct contact. You can find this plant growing in the forest understory.
- Ground Ivy. Botanical Name: Glechoma hederaceae. Height: 5 – 50 cm. Notes: Ground Ivy grows in woodlands and garden lawns. It has highly distinctive kidney-shaped leaves and violet flowers.
- What Are Weeds?
- Categories of Weeds
- Types of Common Weeds Found in The UK
- Are Weeds Bad?
- Know Your Enemy
- References
Simply put, a weed is a plant in an undesirable location. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a wild plant growing where it is not wanted, especially among crops or garden plants”.1weed. (n.d.). Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/weed_1 Interestingly, the term ...
There are three main categories of weeds in regards to thecharacteristics in which they grow, and these are as follows:
Now that you have a nice clear understanding of what weeds are and what they are capable of, the next step is to learn how to identify them. We have put together a comprehensive list of all the weeds you are most likely to encounter in your garden as well as some tips and tricks on how to expel them. So let’s get started!
It is also worth noting that not all weeds are “bad”, as Danny Clarke, reputable Garden Designer and TV Personality, shares: “I think we should learn to love our weeds a little bit more. “We should not be too tidy in our gardens and should instead allow the garden to do its own things to an extent. I believe in challenging what a beautiful garden i...
At the end of the day, there will always be weeds and they will always be a big part of gardening. Prevention is the best method but, more importantly, identifying the weed and understanding its growth habits are the best way to stop it in its tracks. We hope this article has given you the know-how to deal with some of the most common UK garden wee...
1weed. (n.d.). Oxford Dictionaries. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/weed_12Cottam, L. (2019, May 15). Why do nettles sting? Do dock leaves help? Woodland Trust. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/05/why-do-nettles-sting/3Docks. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/docks4How to stop Japanese knotweed from spreading. (2023, February 17). GOV.UK. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading- Broad-Leaved Dock. Weed Type: Perennial weed. Characteristics: Large green leaves with netted veins, jagged edges around the leaf blade, large yellow-orange taproot system.
- Common Chickweed. Weed Type: Annual weed. Characteristics: Small, fuzzy egg-shaped leaves, pointed tips, opposite leaf arrangement, low-growing plant, doesn’t exceed 2 inches in height, can grow tiny white flowers.
- Couch Grass. Weed Type: Perennial weed. Characteristics: Narrow, blue-green leaves, typically has little to no hairs, parallel veins, forms a thick mat of grass, no flowers.
- Creeping Buttercup. Weed Type: Perennial weed. Characteristics: Bright yellow flowers, low-growing plant, dark green leaves with tiny hairs, lobed leaf blades, a fibrous root system.
- Dandelion. Type: Broadleaf perennial. Size: 12 inches tall, 6-16 inches wide. Where It Grows: Lawns and gardens in sun or shade. Appearance: This common lawn weed has a long taproot with deeply notched leaves.
- Oxalis. Type: Broadleaf perennial. Size: Up to 20 inches tall. Where It Grows: Sunny or shady landscape, lawn or garden areas. Appearance: This garden weed has light green leaves that look somewhat like clovers and cup-shape yellow flowers in summer and fall.
- Crabgrass. Type: Grassy annual. Size: Up to 18 inches tall and 20 inches wide. Where It Grows: Lawn, landscape, and garden areas in sun or shade. Appearance: Crabgrass is exactly what it sounds like: A grassy weed.
- Bindweed. Type: Broadleaf perennial. Size: Climbs to 6 feet or more. Where It Grows: Landscape and garden areas in sun. Appearance: Identify this garden weed by its arrowhead-shape leaves on twining vines.
Aug 30, 2023 · To identify weeds, look at the type of leaf, flower, and root system. For example, weeds tend to have a thick root, making them difficult to remove, or a creeping fibrous root system that spreads quickly. Weeds spread easily and quickly and take root where you least want them.
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Learn how to identify and manage the most common weeds in lawns and gardens. Browse the guides for grassy, broadleaf, woody and vining weeds, and weed control measures.
