A:

It will really depend on what type of weeds you have. Annual weeds can usually be tackled easily by hoeing them in as soon as they appear and these should not prevent planting. Perennial weeds (those with a big root system that come back year after year) can be harder to tackle. Ideally it is best to try to get rid of perennial weeds before you plant and the best way to do this is by using a systemic weedkiller such as Roundup. Systemmic weedkillers are absorbed through the leaves of the plant and the active ingredient makes its way through the cells of the plant down to the roots. It kills these first and then the foliage will start to die off. It can take up to 6 weeks (and sometimes longer if the weather is very poor and the weeds are not actively growing) before you will really see it starting to have a good effect but it is worth being patient. It will also kill off everything it comes into contact with, so you do need to be extremely careful when applying it. Just click on the following link to go straight to it. http://www.crocus.co.uk/toolsandstuff/results/?trys=1&CommonName=roundup As a non-chemical alternative, you could try the Weedwand, which has a high-temperature flame that causes weeds to wither and die. Below is a link straight to it. http://www.crocus.co.uk/product/_/parasene-weedwand-550-without-gas/classid.2000003769/

A:

Most weedkillers like Roundup' are indiscriminant, so they will kill off anything they come into contact with. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful when applying them, and try to isolate the plants you want to kill off. Sometimes you can do this using cardboard sheeting, but make sure you spray it on a calm day so the spray does not drift in the wind. Alternatively, I would suggest you remove the weeds by hand or hoe.