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Couch grass often grows in among cultivated plants. It's a clump-forming perennial that spreads through the soil via underground stems or stolons, and is easily spread by cultivation. It can creep from lawns to infest flower and vegetable beds

. Although I can get a bit tied up in the corner that's riddled with couch grass - you can keep on digging and finding more and more of those long white stolons - in the end you just have to stop and say 'no more'. At least for now...

of bindweed or couch grass roots. It's like that scene in Bridge on the River Kwai when Alec Guinness finds the explosive fuse and traces it all the way through the mud to where charges are attached to the bridge. The secret is to carry on until you find

Remove winter grime from patios and terraces with a pressure washerSow new lawns, choosing a grass mix that suits the type of lawn you wantSnip plain green shoots off variegated shrubsMow lawns on dry days if grass is growing stronglyDig out couch

Plant tender crops outside, covering them with cloches when night temperatures fallDig out perennial weeds, such as couch grass and bindweed, from borders as soon as you spot themWash dust off the foliage of houseplants, and apply leaf shine product

, and dig deeply to sieve out roots of perennial weeds, such as bindweed, ground elder and couch grass Improve compacted soil by mixing in extra compost. Take care not to walk on or dig up spring bulbsTake root cuttings from phlox and oriental poppiesPot up

on coming back. I dug out as many of the deep white roots as I could in winter, but it's a bit like digging for Australia - you'll never get there. Bindweed is very like couch grass in that respect, which is another of my allotment problems.As an organic

cultivated soil, paving, wallsspring, summer, autumn, winterMore advice on removing weedsDockMeadowgrassWillowherbCouch grass

. all over the garden, but particularly in lawnslate-spring to autumnMore advice on removing weedsDockWillowherbMeadowgrassCouch grass

such as glyphosate. Avoid spraying on a windy day and near other desirable plants. poor, exposed soils, all over the gardenspring to late-summerMore advice on removing weedsWillowherbCouch grassDockMeadowgrass