I tried a simple method to tackle the problem without resorting to chemical herbicides.
Sophie Law Deputy Editor Spare Time
09:12, 12 Mar 2026
I tackled weeds by following Monty Don’s advice(Image: Sophie Law)
As spring temperatures climb, you’ll likely spot more weeds appearing throughout your garden. A pristine lawn and flower bed can swiftly become overrun with dandelion, chickweed and bindweed once the warmer weather arrives.
Like countless other gardeners, I’ve spent years fighting weeds in my outdoor space using various natural techniques, from white vinegar to boiling hot water. However, last week I opted to experiment with a fresh strategy after coming across guidance from horticultural authority Monty Don – and the outcome proved remarkably successful.
If you’re reluctant to use harsh chemicals in your garden, as I am, the Gardeners’ World host’s recommendation couldn’t be more straightforward: tackle everything manually and in small portions.
He advises gardeners against attempting to manage too much in one go, stating in a Gardeners’ World episode: “Do one metre properly.”
My garden is full of weeds by early spring(Image: Sophie Law)
Therefore, by selecting a compact area, you can address weeds in controllable sections, noting: “That’s far better than doing 10 metres half-heartedly.”, reports the Express.
The horticultural authority explained that removing weeds manually, or using a tool, is the superior option as it enables you to get “right up close and personal”, since ultimately, “a weed is simply a plant in the wrong place.”
He said: “What matters is getting in there. And it’s a very good way of getting to know your soil, getting to know your plants. It’s a very intimate process, weeding.”
He added: “But it’s very important to do it now so they don’t seed and they don’t take over. And the other thing about weeding is do it a little bit at a time.”
(Image: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images)
I put this technique to the test in my own outdoor space to gauge its effectiveness. Rather than racing through a vast area whilst inadvertently leaving roots intact, the approach centres on tackling a modest section and extracting every weed meticulously.
Following that guidance, I selected a portion of one border that typically becomes overwhelmed by early spring. Instead of trying to tackle the entire bed in a single session, I focused on approximately a metre of soil and proceeded methodically.
I loosened the earth with a compact hand fork – though Monty said any tool or your hands will do – and removed each weed separately, ensuring the complete root system came away intact.
Specimens such as dandelions, nettles and dock can rapidly regenerate if even a tiny fragment of root stays buried, so the crucial element was complete extraction rather than merely snapping off the visible foliage.
The outcome was a bed that stayed remarkably weed-free – without requiring another lengthy afternoon of maintenance. By eliminating fresh growth promptly, the seedlings never had opportunity to establish the extensive root systems that make weeds considerably harder to shift.
It proved far more successful than alternatives like white vinegar, which tends to be unreliable and doesn’t genuinely tackle the root systems of larger, well-established weeds.
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