Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has shared a natural technique for getting rid of weeds without using harmful chemicals or spending any money
Weeds tend become a big problem in spring and hundreds can appear at once(Image: Getty)
Weeds typically sprout once they receive sufficient sunlight, which is why they seem to proliferate en masse in the springtime. They flourish in warm spots such as gravel driveways or between patio slabs. Weeds can be notoriously difficult to eradicate due to their deep-rooted nature, often regrowing within weeks even after the surface plant has been killed.
However, gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has revealed a natural method for eliminating these pesky plants without resorting to chemical products or spending any money. All you need is a simple garden hoe and a sunny day, as the same light that aids weed growth can also be harnessed to destroy them.
Weeds will stay off gravel paths and patios thanks to Alan Titchmarsh’s advice for spring(Image: Getty)
In an online video, Alan explains: “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.”
So, how does one tackle weeds in gravel?
Sunlight alone won’t usually kill off weeds, but Alan Titchmarsh offers a straightforward gardening technique to dry them out, causing them to perish swiftly.
Simply glide a hoe across the gravel surface, severing the weeds at their base. Leave the uprooted weed undisturbed and try to keep as much gravel off the now-exposed roots as possible.
With the weed freshly cut, it becomes more susceptible to damage. On a warm day, the intense heat of the sun will completely dehydrate the plant.
As reported by the Express, Alan explained: “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.”
Alan Titchmarsh said a simple way to get rid of weeds is to use sunlight(Image: Getty)
It’s a straightforward method for eliminating weeds without manually pulling them or resorting to chemical treatments that can damage the environment and pose risks to local wildlife.
Can sunlight be used to remove patio weeds?
The sunlight method also works for killing patio weeds, though it’s worth noting that most garden hoes are intended for soil use and can prove cumbersome when working on paving slabs.
Given that hoes are weighty and more prone to damaging stonework, a patio knife offers a far more practical and efficient alternative, fitting neatly into narrow gaps.
Alan advised: “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.”
Use a hoe or patio knife to get rid of weeds and then sunlight will help stop them growing back(Image: Getty)
Simply run a patio knife gently along the joints, leave the disturbed weeds in place, and let the sunlight dry them out completely.
This approach takes just a few minutes to implement and ranks among the most efficient ways to tackle numerous weeds rapidly without spending your entire afternoon extracting them by hand.
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