Jamie’s Little Allotment: Gayton-based gardener puts his focus on weeding this week

Well that wasn’t expected was it? I’m talking about that mini heatwave we had last week.

Seeing temperatures of 25 and 26 degrees in the shade usually does one of two things to people when they are thinking about the garden.

The first is what I don’t choose to do - put your feet up and relax with a cold beer. A great thing to do and, let’s face it, those opportunities can be quite scarce throughout the summer, so if that’s what you want to do when it’s hot, good on you, after all, you’ve worked hard in the garden, so sit and enjoy what you’ve produced.

But I’ll find plenty of time for that later. A hot sunny day just says get in the allotment and start weeding. I know you might think I sound crazy, but firstly, I actually enjoy weeding, it gives me chance to unwind and relax but also it’s time spent looking at what’s actually happening at the plot without having to think about other things.

And secondly, weeding in the sunshine can make the whole process a lot easier. Weeding your beds is an absolute must if you want strong healthy veggies, Weeds can take over plants by smothering smaller and weaker plants and blocking out the sunlight which is one of the key factors in growing great food. Also by taking up water and nutrients.

Weeds will romp away because you’ve made a perfect growing environment for them, all that compost added to the soil a few weeks ago or even the fertiliser sprinkled over the soil and watered in, will be used up by the weeds.

Topped off by regular watering, it just gives the weeds everything they need to grow big and strong and very fast and the last thing you want is for that one weed to flower then go to seed.

We all know the famous rhyme: “One year’s seeds, seven years’ weeds.” Which means if you let a weed flower and go to seed it will drop seeds onto your soil and could be there for seven years, making your weeding so much harder.

So basically whether you are pulling individual weeds out which you’ve let get quite big or nipping in and around your autumn planted garlic with a hoe, it really needs to be done regularly, the latter is my favourite - especially on a lovely hot sunny day, because as you just break the surface of the soil with your nice sharp hoe, the weeds will be pulled out or chopped off and will lay on the surface where the sun will shrivel them up so there’s no chance of re-rooting.

One more quick thing about weeds, I’ve had people say to me many times if you don’t pull the whole root out it will start to grow again so there’s no point - yes that is true. There are weeds which have a tap root and, if left in the ground, that root will probably start to grow again.

What I say is even by pulling the weed and leaving some root behind, you are still stopping that cycle of flowering and going to seed, you weakening the weed, hopefully slowing it down. If it comes back just do it again.

I’ve rambled on a bit but it really is so important for a flourishing allotment plot. One more note about weeds growing in the garden, it means the seeds are germinating, so if the weed seeds are germinating, the conditions for all your other seeds to germinate must be getting there, but more on that next week.

If you enjoy reading my gardening antics, let me know and also let me know what you’re doing in the garden, I love hearing about it.

Email me at: jamieslittleallotment@gmail.com Also follow me on instagram @jamies_little_allotment