As well as preventing the sunlight getting through and stops the weeds from growing. The bark mulch also looks natural and will eventually add nutrients to the soil as the bark mulch pieces breakdown.

It is one of the best weed control solutions as it works as a prevention rather than a cure. Most weeds spread seed through their flowers, so preventing them from flowering is the best form of weed control.

One of the best ways to control weed growth during the summer is by placing a layer of bark mulch or wood chippings over the topsoil. This prevents the sunlight getting through and stops the weeds from growing.

The bark mulch also looks natural and will eventually add nutrients to the soil as the bark mulch pieces breakdown. It is one of the best weed control solutions as it works as a prevention rather than a cure. Most weeds spread seed through their flowers, so preventing them from flowering is the best form of weed control.

Laying Bark Mulch

You don’t need a very deep layer of garden mulch or wood chippings to control weed growth. A few centimetres is enough, as long as it covers the soil completely so no sunlight gets through.

It is a good idea to leave spaces around plants you want to grow, but again a few centimetres is all you really need.

Recognising common weeds

There are lots of common weeds in the UK, with some more welcome than others. Here is a quick look at how to identify most of them:

• Japanese Knotweed – An invasive species that features tall, almost bamboo-style stalks that sprout cream-coloured flowers and with pink stems. As an invasive species, there is some legislation about Japanese Knotweed so some quick online research will tell you what to do if you have a problem with it.
• Nettles – There are two kinds of nettle and both have green flowers and those jagged-edged leaves with stinging hairs underneath. Nettles re-grow from their roots so will likely need a weed killer product to completely eradicate.
• Couch or Scutch – This weed appears like clumpy blades of grass, green at the top and white lower down. They are quite ugly and tricky to get rid of once they establish their dense mat of roots below the surface, so a layer of bark mulch to prevent them establishing is a good idea.
• Bindweed or Morning Glory – This perennial climber is recognisable by its white trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom throughout the summer. One of the prettiest weeds in the UK, this plant is very persistent as it re-grows from any parts you leave behind.
• Oxalis or Wood Sorrel – These perennial weeds looks a bit like common clovers but with a slightly reddish tint to the leaves. They produce small yellow or pink flowers.
• Ground Elder or Bishop’s Weed – The best time to get rid of this weed is in the spring when the leaves appear, as the flowers come in summer and they will soon start spreading their seed. The stems can grow to around 45cm.
• Enchanter’s Nightshade – This weed produces small white flowers from pink buds and grows  to around 60cm at the height of the summer.
• Cleavers or Sticky Willie – This annual weed can grow up to one metre tall with lots of thin leaves and small white flowers. This is one worth dealing with quickly as it produces a lot of seeds which are green and hairy.