Gardeners urged to plant 5 flowers that stop weeds from taking over
There are few things more infuriating than dealing with an infestation of weeds in your garden. Fortunately, experts recommend planting these flowers to put them off your lawn.
With summer around the corner, you're probably noticing all sorts of unsightly growth cropping up on your lawn. Warmer weather and sunlight means that invasive plants are able to reproduce like wildfire. Common UK weeds include dandelion, chickweed and the dreaded prickly milk thistle. The worst part is that they can be incredibly hard to get rid of.
More than just ruin the look of your lawn, weeds are known to cause huge damage to surrounding plants. This is because they leech nutrients from the soil, leaving little for the plants growing in your garden. They can also harbour problem insects, like aphids, caterpillars and mealybugs.
But before you turn to a weed killer, Homes and Gardens recommend turning to these plants instead. Not only do they look gorgeous, these perennial plants blossom year and after year, saving you the hard work.
Black-eyed Susans
These bright yellow flowers have jet black stigmas that automatically draw the eye – hence the name. These unusual flowers will not only add intrigue to your garden, but also help stave off weeds.
This is because they tend to grow in thick patches, which leaves little room for unwanted plants to worm their way in. They're best planted in spring as they require at least six hours of sunlight a day.
Coneflowers
These dusky pink delights are native to North America and are incredibly hardy. This means they're well suited to survive Britain's unpredictable weather.
They prefer full or partial sun and need to be water twice a week. Katie Sunderlage, operations manager at the Holland Group, told Home and Gardens: 'Once settled into your yard, you will find coneflowers remarkably low-maintenance.'
Verbenas
These tall plants will produce purple flowers all summer long. Even better, they provide a high amount of ground cover, preventing weeds from taking hold.
They should be planted in full or partial sun and in well-draining soil. It's also drought tolerant, which means you don't have to worry about it surviving a heat wave.
Blazing star
With their electric purple petals, these flowers look just like their name. They typically bloom in late summer and are great weed blockers as they tend to grow in clusters. Even better, they're relatively easy to grow – all they need is direct sunlight.
Blue grama
Native to the American Midwest, this grass is brilliant at preventing weeds. Of course, since it prefers warmer temperatures, it's a better option for those living in the south or coastal areas of the UK. Once planted, it needs very little watering.
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