Are these weeds?

[Rojak]

Complete gardening newbie (Only weeds I can identify are dandelion & nettle)

Have lots of the first one coming through a slope so I hope it's not a weed as it would be a nightmare to start weeding!

Yep, it's willowherb, pull it up. It's easy to pull up and it spreads by seed, so you don't need to worry about leaving bits of root behind. Expect to pull more of it up though, the seeds get everywhere.

What a pain!! If I get rid of them - could I put down a fast growing periwinkle as ground cover and would it help suppress the weeds?

It's in a bit of a slope which I don't use much anyway

Thanks

We've got it everywhere. Get it up now before it flowers!

Yes, get down some groundcover and it really helps, though they have a tendency to find any niche to get into! I have a lot of these in my garden and from now on, I'm exercising constant vigilance to stop them flowering and seeding!! If you're really pushed for time, chop the flowers off - at least they won't seed then.

The weeds in my garden grow up through any ground cover I plant over them . They are very determined .

I pulled up a bunch of them and have to clear another slope (which has also been overtaken by nettles!!)

Feels like the weeds are winning at the minute ... but reluctant to resort to pesticides

Hang in there! It gets much easier when you have the ground covered by things you want to be there - weeds will still spring up, but they can only get into the corners of things and you spend less time pulling them out! In the meantime, weedsheeting or cardboard with compost dumped on top can be a lifesaver to ensure that they don't return while your back is turned!

Good idea holly

Mulching is your friend

Thanks - will try mulching - cardboard is new to me though!

weeds are plants that you don't want.
I have some plants that others consider to be weeds, but I (and the bees) like them.

Cardboard is perfect . It excludes the light , which stops all but the most persistent weeds germinating, it rots down nicely and adds organic matter to the soil , doesn't shed water as much as plastic sheeting , it's cheap and easily available . Just cover it with a layer of compost ( into which annual weed seeds will germinate so pull them up) so it looks better .

We have lots of this! I spent nearly three hours weeding all the various nasties and I think I've done maybe a fifth of all our beds! I'm ordering a massive bag of chippings to try and keep the weeds down a bit.

One more pic - not sure if this is plant I should keep or weed

looks like japanese anemone
beautiful flowers in august.

or is it a sycamore seedling? is the stem brown an wooden?

I think that's a sycamore seedling - I get loads in my garden from a tree outside in the road. The leaf is quite similar to that of an anemone but sadly it is a whopping great tree and not a delicate flower.

I'll go out tomorrow and try and get pic of the stem crossing fingers

That's definitely a seedling. Leave it a few years, and you'll have a tree!

sycamore seedling. I would maybe give the perwinkle as ground cover a miss. The one in our garden that was planted by a previous neighbour has suckered everywhere- even through the lawn

Going to get rid of that sycamore seedling then as have found another couple.

Can I just keep cutting them down or would I have to dig them out?

Found 2 more plants in the middle of what I think is an azalea. Can anyone tell me what these are? Thanks

Going to get rid of that sycamore seedling then as have found another couple.

Can I just keep cutting them down or would I have to dig them out?

Found 2 more plants in the middle of what I think is an azalea. Can anyone tell me what these are? Thanks

first one beech
second elder

The first one looks like hazel (another one that will grow to tree proportions if left).

The second one I can't remember the name, but it's a big annoyance in my garden too. They are suckers from a shrub/tree next door and they are bastards to pull up. I usually just cut then at the stem - they come back eventually, though.

Remember, a weed is just something growing where you don't want it - if it looks out of place or ugly, get rid.

Azalea is beautiful, though!

Agree, first one is a tree seeding, beech or maybe birch

Second one is ground elder or an ash seedling

You need to dig them up, cutting them will make them grow again bushier

Re: the baby tree seedlings - if you grow them on in pots, and look after them for a few years, you could have nice little Bonsai trees! You could have a whole new dimension to your gardening. There are various Bonsai web sites if you need more information.