European Weed Research Society Symposium

A constant battle of every gardener is the continual fight against Weeds growing in the garden.

Here's a few reasons why you shouldn't treat them as so much of an enemy of your normal garden.

• They can be used as a green mulch that prevents moisture being evaporated from the soil. And even stores some of it in it's own structure, to be released back into the soil if dug in.
• Provides cover for bare soil preventing soil erosion from water or wind
• Provides humus as it decomposes on the soil, or under the surface if it's dug in
• It provides humus, bulk, and moisture to compost heaps and worm farms
• Some of the weeds are actually self sown garden plants or trees (or shoots from underground rootstock), which can be repositioned elsewhere, or potted up for giving away, swapping or selling
• Many of the legume group of plants, ( peas & beans, clovers & acacias for example) actually draw nitrogen out of the air and store it in nodules on their roots
• Even weed root systems are actually helping you in breaking up the subsurface soil by growing through it, often far deeper than you would ordinarily dig down to.
• Many weed species are actually edible plants
• Many weed species have been used as medicinal plants for hundreds of years.
• Can provide food, nectar, pollen and shelter for small animals, bees and birds.
• Can make it easy place to collect and destroy pest insects and animals

It’s all in your mind set as to how you look at your weeds. Are they a total pest to be gotten rid of as soon as they appear? Or can they be bent to assist you in better and easier managing your overall space?