What can weeds tell you about your soil?

Before you pull up your weeds think about what they might be trying to tell you, says Dr Anton Rosenfeld of Garden Organic

- Dr Anton Rosenfeld

Attitudes to weeds have relaxed over the last few years. Although we don't want a ‘messy’ garden full of weeds, we realise many of these wild plants have a useful function such as attracting pollinators and predatory insects or protecting the soil. Many can also tell us something useful about our soil conditions.

So, before you embark on your next bout of vigorous weeding, slow down and take some time to see what you can learn from what's growing.

As different weeds thrive under different conditions they can give a good indication of the state of your soil, including the texture, structure, acidity and nutrient content. This can tell you what plants may do best and the priorities for improving your plot.

Soil texture is the size of the soil particles (ie sand, silt or clay) and some weeds thrive better on certain soil textures. Other have adapted to grow on heavier clay soil while some can tolerate a lighter, drier soil.

Soil structure refers to the way particles are organised in the soil, and a good soil structure should contain air pockets to allow movement of air, water and nutrients. Sometimes things go awry, and the particles clump together to form hard layers. Weeds with a strong tap root, such as chicory, can break through these layers and tolerate these conditions.