OK I guess this is a novice question: How do I know what are weeds and what are not? Or rather, which weeds should I really attack with fervour and which can be just casually chucked out as you go along?
I can't really identify them, that's the trouble. I have looked at a couple of sites, but not too much success. I seem to have found a couple, I have cat's ear, a few thistle/dandelion types that pull out pretty easily, and some crane's bill (which I personally think is quite pretty.
There is some grass but don't know if it is couch :( and something that resembles a type of clover, it spreads in a mat-like way and does seem to be a bit of a nuisance.
I would like to weed all around the edges of my little plot but I can't afford planks or things to border it off - can you think of any plants that could replace the weeds on the borders? Something about 20 cm high would be ideal, to keep the soil in place and cordon off.
So 2 questions: how do I identify weeds and what to replace them with in places where there are no crops.
BTW, I am using no weedkillers etc so weeds are either dug out or smothered.
Please help!! The plot is a fair bit clear but some parts are getting a bit over-run and my neighbours are making "wot a useless gardener" type faces... ???