Bindweed war!!

[*Feather*]

As I said in previous posts, my plot is infested with bindweed, so I spent my first season (last year) battling against it and not having much time to do anything else. So it's war against bindweed in my plot!

Last year I built a leaf mould cage and the other day I noticed that the bindweed had grown through the leaf mould, so I can't use it! So I thought... what if I clear the leaf mould out of the cage and line the cage with spunbond fabric? Would this work? Does anyone have any idea? Thanks!

[Nicos]

sounds a good idea!
make sure the joins are bindweed proof though....

A french seam type folding over would probably do the trick ( forget the sewing machine bit!!)
here's a link for fabric- it's much easier than it looks- try it with 2 pieces of paper!!!

www.sewneau.com/how.to/french.seam.html

let us know how you get on!

[Gryfon]

Another thought is to train the bindweed up a stick and then throw chemicals at it. Not ideal but I find that when some weed refuses to go I'll do anything!

[PAULW]

I inherited an allotment with bindweed and mares tail, I initialy dug every piece of root out I could find and then I had a five litre spray of Roundup for the bindweed and a five litre spray of Deep Root for the mares tail and any time one or the other showed its face it got a squirt (spot weeding) and by doing this my plot is now 99% free of these noxious weeds

[Mrs Dobby]

Our plot was completely overrun with bindweed when we took it over 6 months ago, and we've been double digging the beds in an attempt to try and get rid of it, still working on the last of the veg beds, and its coming our in every handful of soil!

Nasty horrible stuff, buried up to 2'6" on our plot and a right pain getting rid, but hopefully with the digging we'll have weakened it sufficiently to keep on top of it in the future! Methinks we'll have to adopt a painting on roundup type approach this summer for any that comes back, but hopefully it wont be too much!

[rustylady]

It does weaken with repeated digging out. As for the compost heap, if you sieve your compost before you spread it around you should be able to get rid of the bindweed roots.

I am totally anti-chemical, but if you are prepared to use them a good idea is to put a cane or two in and let the bindweed climb, then spray the leaves with glyphosate.

[jlottie]

The best tip I have seen for bindweed is to mix some roundup with a small amount of wallpaper paste, using disposable gloves smear it all over the growing part of the plant and then roll the plant up inside of the glove and leave for the chemicals to do their work. Digging it out is the best option but this method works really well if it turns up in amongst your crops.

[bubblewrap]

My lottie had bindweed problem! I kept digging.
Now IF any dares to show its self I just dig it out.
I have allmost "cured" the problem.
I don't like using chemicals.

[roitelet]

Quite agree Bubblewrap. Slow job but you get there in the end. Olny resort to chemicals if all else fails!!!!!! And that is rare

[Dobby]

I agree Bubblewrap i dont wont to use chemicals cos at the end of the day you are eating the stuff you grow and woludent the chemicals get into the soil
I dig um out or could try buring um

[Stroppy scotte]

Agree totally. Thunk we are on top of ours through digging +++ but will find out again as the season wears on!

[Flummery]

Got bindweed in part of the garden veg plot. When I'm pulling out the thick, white roots I wish you could stir-fry it - Boy, we could have eaten well on Friday!

[WiZeR]

I had a debate with another allotment holder about what was worse, bindweed or brambles. She seemed to think my bramble problem was worse. I beg to differ. I had bindweed last year and am so glad its not on my new plot! Her roots where going down THREE spits!

[roitelet]

Not wishing to be a wet blanket, but I did read somewhere that a Grave digger found bindweed roots 8 FOOT down in the bottom of a grave

[Flummery]

I'm sure they do go down that far roitelet, but if they are continuously deprived of leaves so they can't photosynthesise, they will die eventually. there's nothing to feed those roots.