The more densely you plant your garden, the less opportunity a weed has to grow. Weeds love to colonise bare soil – mulching your garden bed is a great way to keep them at bay, as they won’t have an opportunity to seed and germinate. Before you lay your mulch (aim for around 7cm thick), remember to get rid of all the weeds that are already there – a trowel or weeding fork will do the job nicely.