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Bindweed

GloriaBog

Is bindweed one of the most difficult unwanted plants to remove? It got in a little in a polytunnel over last two years, I was removing any stems to deprive it of food. This early spring before planting I decided to go at it and went through the soil carefully, removing any bit of root I could see. Reluctant to use weed killer here as we eat veg from the area. But still I go through it every day and have to remove maybe up to 10 new pieces popping up. I dig out as much as I can but inevitably disturbing roots of veg plants. I'm amazed at how it how just keep coming on, despite relentless attention. Will it give up?

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standardg60

Don't bother trying to dig it as every bit of root you leave will form a new plant. Just continue to pull the new stems and you'll eventually exhaust it, might take a few years though.

looksee

Sorry, I have to disagree with the 'keep pulling it' theory. Weedkiller is the best solution, but agreed, not always possible. While there is veg there pulling it is all you can do, but when its empty of veg I would suggest weedkilling it.

I had a shrub bed one time that I put membrane on (wouldn't do that now) and bits of bindweed were coming out of the edges, I pulled them off. Eventually I took the membrane off to start again with the bed and under it was a solid white mass of bindweed roots. There was nothing like the same proportion of leaf growth to roots, but it was an absolute mat immediately under the membrane. I cleaned the bed with a mix of digging and spraying and eventually got it more or less clean.

GloriaBog

Thank you for suggestions, looks like we'll just have to keep it in check. It's a very resilient plant and just keeps coming on. Had creeping buttercup elsewhere but that's easy relatively speaking to clean out and stop.

magicbastarder

is it coming in from outside?

standardg60

I read somewhere that pulling the stems when they're 1 to 2ft long is best, as that's when the roots are at minimum reserves.

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148209#Comment_122148209

That's interesting, you'd think it would be the opposite - small stem, small roots - but it makes sense.

Oscar_Madison

I have this visitor to the garden now - I’ll update as I commence its journey to elimination

The Continental Op

I like to get rid of it by painting the leaves with a mix of glyphosate and wallpaper paste.

Another method in amongst other plants is to unwind it carefully and put it in a plastic bag with a glyphosate mix then seal the bag.

Both methods can be enhanced by putting canes in for the bind weed to grow up. Then you can either paint the leaves on the cane or remove it and put the foliage in a bag with glyphosate.

Obviously don't use glyphosate where it might drip onto plants you want to keep or eat.

Glyphosate to most people means Roundup but there are cheaper forms of it that are just as good.

Perks

Yes if using the painting glyphosate on leaves in a zip lock bag approach as suggested.

Find the growing end of a bindweed strand and carefully patiently and gently untangle and lasso the strand into managable size gathering the weed into a loose ball as you work your way along the stem towards where it exits the soil.

Place in zip lock bag with stem at opposite end to zip lock. Brush some gloglyphosate on leaves and seal bag to as good as closed. Place some pebbles or a stone on after to weigh down. Watch it die.

Sometimes i just dab the glyphosate conatiner on the inside of the bag and once I have the strand in squish around from the outside of the bag.

I use the glyphosate extremly sparingly so much so that sometimes and not to often I have to re-apply to finish the strand off.

GloriaBog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148193#Comment_122148193

Small bit outside but would have to be travelling several feet underground to pop up.

GloriaBog

Thanks for all the suggestions. We'll keep taking out as much root as possible. I think it's coming up less last few days. Will keep in mind the glyphosate if losing the battle but other half not keen.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122157023#Comment_122157023

It will travel several feet underground easily, several metres in fact.

Hit the bit outside with glyphosate.

Quay_Koncept

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122150317#Comment_122150317

Thats a fantastic idea with the wallpaper paste, I assume this is to make it easier to use so its not spilling and spraying on other plants? Just curious would this drip off after a rain shower?

Also can you apply neat glyphosate just to a few leaves to kill of weeds or do you need to cover most of the leaves?

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122159381#Comment_122159381

The glyphosate/wallpaper paste will wash off so you can't use it above other plants. You also need to be aware of plants moving in the wind.

There used to be a Roundup gel you could buy but it was very expensive for what it was and its no longer available afaik. If you see a listing its been out of stock for a long time https://www.diy.ie/departments/skip18c-roundup-gel-150ml-018992/213354_BQ.prd

I do the mix with wallpaper paste at about 1 part glyphosate to 4 water then add wallpaper paste until it becomes a gel. Its quite slow to make as you need to allow the wallpaper paste time to "gel" while adding it bit at a time. That is probably a lot stronger than it needs to be. The problem with too much weedkiller other than pollution and waste is that the chemicals can burn the leaf before its absorbed so more can sometimes work less well. My mix might be a bit strong but does work in bindweed.

Dealz btw for a cheap packet of wallpaper paste.

Quay_Koncept

Ah interesting! thank you ! :)