Weeds are wild plants which grow out of place and intertwine with existing flowers, shrubs and grass in the garden. While most weeds have a reputation for being a nuisance as they grow out of place, some varieties can be foraged and used in the kitchen or elsewhere in your garden. As winter sets in, a new flush of weeds are coming into season – but which varieties should you be keeping an eye out for?
Common types of winter garden weeds
Weeds are present all year round with buttercups and dandelions most active in the warmer months and thicker, green varieties found in the winter.
Known for their fast-growing and quick-multiplying powers, weeds can be a nuisance to get rid of – but knowing the difference between useful weeds and useless varieties can save you time and money when faced with a seasonal weed problem.
Some of the most common winter weeds found in the UK include:
- Bittercress
- Herb bennet
- Docks
- Chickweed
- Lamium
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Herb bennet has been adopted by herbalists as a treatment for everything from dog bites to liver disease, though more modern uses of this weed include:
- Gout treatment
- Diarrhoea treatment
- Heart disease supplement
- Ulcer treatment
This common weed has a neutral taste though its roots have been said to resemble the flavour of cloves.
Chickweed
Chickweed can appear in both cultivated and bare ground though it thrives in rich soil and is, therefore, a good indicator of soil fertility, says the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
This green, delicate-leaf weed can be found all year round and is quick to germinate – making it hard to control in your garden.
The flowers, leaves and stems of chickweed have been used to make oral extracts and tea to treat a variety of conditions including asthma, constipation and menstrual pain.
Its modern uses as a topical ointment make for a naturally soothing ingredient for irritated and inflamed skin.
Left undisturbed, a healthy chickweed plant will produce thousands of seeds though its medicinal uses make it easy to incorporate into your well being routine rather than attempting to kill the established weed.