Weeding guide

Simple, effective ways to keep weeds under control for good.

Gardens across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Twickenham and Esher are wonderful places to live and grow plants. They are also wonderful places for weeds, thanks to our damp Thames-side microclimate, rich clay soil and an enthusiastic local seed bank that predates most of the houses.

Flourish Landscaping has worked in hundreds of gardens across this stretch of South West London, so we know the weeds you are likely to meet, the ones pretending to be plants, the ones that bite back and the ones that behave like they own the place. This guide will help you identify and understand the weeds in your garden, and work out the best way to manage them.

What this guide covers:

  • recognise common local weeds
  • identify weeds that masquerade as garden plants
  • understand which weeds are annual, biennial or perennial
  • spot invasive or persistent species early
  • know the best time to remove each weed
  • understand how our local clay soil affects weed growth
  • recognise weeds commonly spread from Ham Lands, Richmond Park and the Thames corridor
  • know the legal responsibilities around invasive species like Japanese knotweed

Common annoying weeds

  • Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

    Deep taproot and floating seed heads that drift in from three gardens away.

    Fun fact: Entirely edible, though nobody ever really wants to.
  • Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)

    Tiny, fast and fond of pots and paving.

    Fun fact: The seed pods explode like tiny catapults.
  • Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)

    Thrives in damp clay soil, especially near the Thames and Hogsmill.

    Fun fact: Releases natural toxins that discourage competition.
  • Yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis corniculata)

    Small, clover-like and determined.

    Fun fact: Fires its seeds at impressive speed.
  • Chickweed (Stellaria media)

    Grows throughout winter while you are inside with the heating on.

    Fun fact: Germinates at two degrees.
  • Couch grass (Elymus repens)

    Long white runners that invade everything.

    Fun fact: Even the tiniest root fragment will regrow.

Weeds in disguise as plants

  • Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

    Genuine ornamental, but in Kingston and Richmond it self-seeds with enthusiasm.

    Fun fact: Medieval alchemists tried to use its dew as the ‘water of heaven’.
  • Herb robert (Geranium robertianum)

    Looks like a dainty geranium seedling, smells like fox.

    Fun fact: Can grow in as little as three millimetres of soil.
  • Green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens)

    Pretty blue flowers, bold glossy leaves, deep stubborn roots.

    Fun fact: The roots were once used to make a red dye for cosmetics and wood stains.
  • Creeping cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans)

    Strawberry-like foliage, yellow flowers and Olympic-level stamina.

    Fun fact: Survives mowing as if it enjoys it.
  • Wood avens (Geum urbanum)

    Looks like a cultivated Geum, behaves like a colonist.

    Fun fact: Its hooked seeds latch onto fur and clothing for distribution.
  • Enchanter’s nightshade (Circaea lutetiana)

    Shade-loving, deceptive and clingy.

    Fun fact: Named after Circe, the enchantress of Greek mythology.
  • Nipplewort (Lapsana communis)

    Soft leaves, fast grower, awkward name.

    Fun fact: The name comes from the resemblance of the unopened flower buds.
  • Wild garlic, ramsons (Allium ursinum)

    Wonderful in woodlands, chaos in gardens. Spreads by bulbs and seed.

    Fun fact: One leaf can scent the whole border.
  • Three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum)

    Slender white bells and triangular stems. Listed under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; do not plant or allow to spread.

    Fun fact: Roll the stem and you will feel the triangle.
  • Garlic mustard, jack-by-the-hedge (Alliaria petiolata)

    Biennial that spreads along woodland edges.

    Fun fact: Smells like garlic and mustard when crushed.

Everything else conspiring against you

Wood avens, cinquefoil, oxalis, herb robert, nipplewort. Individually irritating, collectively unstoppable. In our Kingston and Surbiton gardens, these are the weeds homeowners ask about most. Many require repeated removal, especially in clay soils.

Common lawn weeds

Why lawn weeds appear in clay soil

Most lawns in South West London sit on compacted clay. This encourages daisies, plantain, white clover and creeping cinquefoil. Improving drainage, aeration and soil structure reduces recurring weeds. For more on managing wet clay see our guide to managing a flooded garden.

Hard surface weeds

These thrive in paving cracks, walls and gravel:

Local arrivals from the wider area

South West London gardens receive seeds drifting from the Thames corridor, Hogsmill Valley, Richmond Park and the woodland edges around Petersham, Ham and Esher.

Ham Lands specials

Ham Lands is one of the richest wildlife corridors in South West London. Its mix of meadow, wet woodland, gravel terraces and sandy soils means it sends unusual plants into gardens around Ham, Petersham and North Kingston.

Seeds move easily into nearby gardens through wind, pets, shoes and birds.

Invasive species you must know about

Some weeds carry legal obligations under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. It’s an offence to plant them, cause them to grow in the wild, or dispose of contaminated soil improperly. Three to recognise:

  • Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica). Bamboo-like hollow stems with reddish-purple speckling, alternate heart-shaped leaves, creamy-white flower spikes in late summer. Spreads by rhizomes; fragments as small as 7 mm can regenerate. Affects mortgage applications and property values; legally classified as ‘controlled waste’. Specialist removal essential.
  • Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). Tall (1.5-2 m) annual with pink helmet-shaped flowers June to October. Pulls up easily but the exploding seed pods spread aggressively. Particularly bad along the Thames and Hogsmill.
  • Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). Cow-parsley-like flowers on stems up to 5 m tall with purple-blotched stems. The sap causes severe phototoxic burns on contact with skin in sunlight. Rare in gardens but appears along watercourses. Never handle without full protective equipment.

If you suspect Japanese knotweed on your property, photograph it and contact a specialist surveyor before disturbing it. Improper handling can spread the problem and increase costs significantly.

When to weed

  • Dandelion: after rain (full taproot lifts more cleanly)
  • Hairy bittercress: immediately, before the seed pods set
  • Yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis): autumn, before the next year’s seedbank builds
  • Chickweed: late winter, before it sets seed
  • Buttercup: spring, when soil is damp and roots come freely
  • Willowherb: early summer, before the fluffy seed disperses
  • Ground elder: early spring, repeated through the season
  • Bindweed: late spring, before it overwhelms supports
  • Nipplewort: before flowering
  • Thistle: spring or midsummer, before flowering
  • Himalayan balsam: pull through summer before pods set; one missed plant can produce 800 seeds

Damp soil helps roots release cleanly. Dry soil practically guarantees breakage.

Preventing weeds in clay soil

Clay holds moisture, which helps perennial weeds regrow. The single best prevention is an annual 50-75 mm autumn mulch of well-rotted compost or composted bark. This smothers seed germination, improves soil structure over time and reduces the bare ground that weeds need to establish. See our winter garden prep guide for more on mulching method.

A word about weedkillers

We prefer non-chemical methods (mulching, hand-weeding, hot-water and flame weeders for hard surfaces, dense planting to outcompete weeds). For genuinely persistent perennials, professional targeted treatment can be appropriate:

  • Bindweed (Calystegia)
  • Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria)
  • Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense)
  • Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
  • Persistent hard-surface weeds
  • Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) – specialist work only

Any chemical application near borders, ponds, lawns or watercourses needs proper assessment. Targeted minimal application by a trained operator is very different from indiscriminate over-the-counter spraying, which damages soil ecology and pollinators.

Frequently asked questions

Do weeds mean my soil is bad?

Not always – they diagnose soil conditions rather than failing them. Plantain and creeping cinquefoil indicate compaction; nettle indicates fertility; horsetail indicates impeded drainage; chickweed indicates moist nutrient-rich soil. Reading the weeds tells you what the soil needs to change to grow what you want instead.

Why do weeds grow faster than my plants?

Weeds evolved for speed. Most produce thousands of seeds, germinate at low temperatures, and put on rapid growth from minimal soil. Cultivated plants are bred for flower or fruit, not for raw vigour. The way to win the speed race is to deny weeds the bare ground and open canopy they need – dense planting, generous mulch and well-established perennials all reduce weed pressure dramatically.

Why do weeds return after I’ve pulled them?

Two reasons. Perennial weeds (bindweed, ground elder, couch grass, horsetail, Japanese knotweed) regrow from root or rhizome fragments left in the soil; a single missed centimetre can restart the colony. Annual weeds return from the soil seed bank: a typical garden soil holds tens of thousands of viable weed seeds per square metre, and disturbing the soil brings fresh ones to the surface where they germinate. Mulching suppresses seed germination; repeated removal of perennials exhausts their root reserves over two or three seasons.

How do I identify Japanese knotweed?

Look for: bamboo-like hollow stems with reddish-purple speckling; alternate (zigzag) shield- or heart-shaped leaves typically 7-14 cm long; creamy-white flower spikes in late summer; rapid growth in May and June, often reaching 2-3 m by midsummer; and a thick rhizome system that emerges several metres from the parent plant. If you suspect it, photograph the stems, leaves, leaf arrangement and any flowers, and contact a specialist surveyor before disturbing the plant. Japanese knotweed is legally classified as ‘controlled waste’ under the Environmental Protection Act 1990; improper handling can spread the problem and significantly increase remediation costs. It also affects mortgage applications and property valuations.

Are weeds worse along the Thames and Hogsmill?

Yes. Conditions are ideal: damp, fertile floodplain soil, regular water disturbance carrying seed downstream, and a continuous wildlife corridor from upstream sources. Gardens within 100-200 m of the Thames, Hogsmill, Beverley Brook or the river corridors get higher pressure from Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam), Ranunculus repens (creeping buttercup), Galium aparine (cleavers) and water-edge perennials than gardens further from a watercourse.

Should I compost weeds?

Annual weeds before they’ve set seed: yes. Deep-rooted perennials (bindweed, ground elder, couch grass, horsetail, Japanese knotweed), and any weed with mature seed: no. Domestic compost heaps rarely reach the 60°C temperatures needed to destroy these. Either bag them for council green-waste collection (which is hot-composted commercially) or let them dry to a crisp in a closed black bin bag before composting the remains. Japanese knotweed must never be home-composted, council-binned or fly-tipped; it’s controlled waste and requires specialist disposal.

How do I identify a weed I’m not sure about?

Take a clear photograph of the leaves, the stem, the flower (if any), and where it’s growing (border, lawn, paving crack, shade, sun). Plant identification apps (PlantNet, iNaturalist, Picture This) are useful first checks but can be unreliable on young seedlings and weedy lookalikes. For the persistent ones we identify weeds for Kingston and Surbiton homeowners every week as part of our maintenance and consultation work.

Let’s talk about your garden

Flourish Landscaping works across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond, Esher and the wider Surrey area, helping homeowners keep their gardens healthy and manageable. If you’re dealing with a weed you can’t identify, suspect Japanese knotweed, or want a maintenance plan that genuinely keeps the borders on top, get in touch. See our garden maintenance service for the way we work, or our winter garden prep guide for the mulching method that prevents most border weeds.

Contact us to arrange a consultation and start the conversation.

Company owner/director

Craig is the founder of Flourish Landscaping and has spent nearly 40 years working in the gardening and landscaping industry. He holds a degree in Horticulture from the University of Bath and is known for his deep, practical knowledge of plants, soils, and garden construction. On this blog, he shares clear, experience-led advice based on what really works in gardens across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond and Surrey.

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