Annual weeds

Annual weeds have shallow roots, so lightly forking over the ground loosens them and they can be composted. If you take over in summer there’s likely to be a lot to clear — cut off any obvious seed heads and bag them until you can dispose of them. Compost material is best in a bin, but can be piled up until you have one. If the ground is wet, soil clinging to the roots is valuable and should go in the compost too, ready to return to your plot.

Annual weeds are persistent: any seed shed into your soil over recent years will eventually germinate. Hoe or weed them out before they set more seed, and in a year or two you’ll have the problem under control by being persistent yourself.