Grow Your Own Magazine

does anyone else have 2 kinds of bindweed? we have the big, monsterous, world beating one with the white flowers, which looks pretty enough in the 'wilder' areas of the garden. but also a very much smaller leaved one, with pale pink flowers, which produces multiple stems from the same plant. just as much trouble as the other!!
have pulled masses today (of bindweed that is, boom boom!) but am resigned to keeping at it all summer...

The only way to get rid of bindweed is to keep digging. Yes the flowers are lovely (related to Morning Glory which is tender and quite hard to grow), but it is a pain in the **** in the garden or allotment. You can spray with systemic weedkiller, but if you're anti-chemicals the only way is to keep pulling and digging. Remember, every little bit of root you leave in the ground is capable of making a whole new plant but if you keep pulling them out when they're small you will weaken them.

that's what I do, but the little b*gg*rs have a way of sneaking up while your back is turned and the next minute you know, they've strangled something!
I do find that weedkiller helps weaken it though... not green, but sometimes you have to use ultimate force!

I'm sure a few years ago, I heard on GQT on radio 4, that if you put the stem in systemic weedkiller, that it will travel along the plant back to the root. Anyone else heard of this?

We are battling a large plot with lots of white bindweed. We are doing the green way and are digging up any new shoots this year. We seem to be winning the battle so far.

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I've just discovered that my compost bins on the new plot are slap bang over the bindweed plantation, I can deal with the stuff outside the bins but am worried that it will grow in the bins and then spread into the plot as I use the compost. Any advice please?

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Digger-07

"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right" Henry Ford.

Give up! No! I don't mean it!!!

Move the compost bin ASAP or you will loose the lot! And when you use the compost, sieve it first to remove any roots, it's the only reliable way - sorry!

Oh, and just to add to the joy - bindweed can go as far as 20' - yes, feet! - under the ground. Reckon to take out 90% each year, the 10% left will grow and spread but eventually you will have the problem contained.

Best of luck

Terry

yes - there are different types of bind weed - the field bindweed and the hedge bindweed are probably what you have got. both have white to pink flowers, but the flowers on the hedge bindweed are likely to be bigger. both a PITA to get rid of!

I find that knot grass also behaves in an annoying 'bindweed' fashion, and its equally difficult to get rid of! (looks a bit like fat hen, but spreads over the ground from a central point)

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There's vegetable growing in the family, but I must be adopted
Happy Gardening!

Thanks TP.

I have decided to forget about composting for the time being and when I get chance to clear the bins and the ground. After looking at the plot after a 4 week absence (hospitalised) it looks as though bindweed is present in all the surrounding paths and if left grows into the plot. I will dig it all out but from experience it will take a few years to clear properly - Then I can start to compost again. In the meantime my wormeries will have a treat with all the green stuff.

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Digger-07

"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right" Henry Ford.