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What is this weed and how can I get rid of it permanently?

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  • 10-06-2019 11:52pm
    #1
    gaiscioch
    Registered Users Posts: 1,530 ✭✭✭


    Would anybody know what this weed is, and how I can get rid of it?

    It seemed to start in the flower bed, which I had filled up with dug up soil from elsewhere in the garden. So I assume there is something in the garden soil. Anyway, it was a mistake to put that soil in the flower bed. In the past year not only has it been strangling the flowers in the flower bed but as you can see from those photos it has now grown over large areas of the hedge (which is not connected to the flower bed). I'm not quite sure why it has been spreading in the past year.

    Thanks.


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    #2
    scarepanda
    Registered Users Posts: 3,438 ✭✭✭scarepanda


    To me it looks like that climber with the large white trumpet shaped flower you see in hedges fairly regularly, or at least around here anyways it's in abundance in hedges. Sorry, I can't remember the name of it.

    I don't really know how best to control it when it's as strong as in your photos though, sorry. I have it in my veg beds, but as they are weeded fairly often it's not that big of a problem for me.


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    #3
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,191 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    Bind weed. I'd mix up about a cup of wster and a dribble of glyphosphate and paint the mixture onto it's leaves.
    You have that John Pye Weed stuff growing as well, its very fast growing, needs pulling.


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    #4
    HeidiHeidi
    Registered Users Posts: 28,800 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    Looks like what I always thought was nasturtium - but when I google it, the leaves look a bit different.


    I always remember it growing up and through hedges just like that - my dad said down the country, the cattle loved it, ate it for breakfast dinnner and tea, and wherever they pooped, it'd start growing like wildfire there (so basically it was everywhere)!


    But like the previous poster, no idea how to actually deal with it, sorry.


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    #5
    iamtony
    Registered Users Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭iamtony


    Ive been battling that bindweed unsuccessful for the past few years. In previous years ive just pulled it up but this year im attacking it with roundup.
    Its gone from some places now but still growing in others. I untangle it from whatever its wrapped around and lay it out and spray it on a black plastic sheet i have. Hopefully I'll win this year.
    P.s untangling from rose bushes is painfil:eek:


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    #6
    Fluffybums
    Registered Users Posts: 362 ✭✭Fluffybums


    Convolvulus. Put some paper towel in a plastic bag spray in some systemic weed killer and tie around a growing end or several. A tip from my dear old dad. I've used it successfully before and need to do it again.


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    #7
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,052 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    As the others have said, convulvulus, or bindweed. Its one of the few weeds I would agree with using weedkiller on. It has a very vigorous root system and will grow from a small broken off bit, so treat the bed before digging into it. On a dry, non-windy day, gather together bundles of the long trailing stems without breaking them off their root system. As has been suggested, put them onto a weighted piece of plastic or into a bucket and spray with systemic weedkiller (glycophosphate - Roundup). Keep pets and children away from the area, once it has all dried off it is ok. Be very careful not to get it on adjacent plants or lawns.

    Treat Roundup with great respect, it is dangerous. Wear at very least gloves. Don't buy more than you need (the smallest size), don't leave it in sprayers, mark any utensils you use to show that they have had weedkiller in them.

    The weedkiller will have little noticeable effect for some time, could easily be a couple of weeks. The plants may even look as though they are growing. Leave them for 2 to 3 weeks before pulling them up, at which stage they should be dead. You may have to repeat the treatment if you see new growth.

    Contrary to what the books generally advise, I have found that it is possible to keep it under a bit of control without weedkiller by pulling all new growth, and if possible carefully lift soil and take out all the long white roots. This is a long job though and requires persistence.


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    #8
    forumuser
    Registered Users Posts: 104 ✭✭forumuser


    I've been controlling this for the last few years by keeping it consistently pulled. It was very rampant in parts of our garden so the first time was fairly time consuming but it takes hardly anytime now to keep on top of new growth and it gets weaker every year.
    I didn't want to spray it because it was too close to other plants that I really don't want to lose.


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    #9
    Day Lewin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,604 ✭✭✭Day Lewin


    The roots are long and very deep - it has been found eight feet down. They say it goes all the way down to Australia!

    One way to cope is just by always pulling off all the top growth: this starves the plant and keeps it out of sight, at least.
    The stuff will soon reappear if this is neglected: you see it all over old hedges.

    The way for patient gardeners to kill it is by inserting some bamboo canes or similar into the hedge top, and let the bindweed twine round them: then when there is enough leaf showing, spray them. Leave to die.

    https://gardenerstips.co.uk/blog/gardening/pests-problems/weeds-gardening/bindweed-control/


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    #10
    Danzy
    Registered Users Posts: 13,262 ✭✭✭✭Danzy


    I put on gloves and brush on Roundup mix to the leaves.

    Doing a few of the top ones is enough.

    Bind weed.


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    #11
    Allinall
    Registered Users Posts: 6,539 ✭✭✭Allinall


    Always knew that as "Robin Run-the-Hedge".

    No idea how to get rid permanently.

    I have it and just keep pulling it out every now and again.


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    #12
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,329 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    robin run the hedge is a different plant - also known as goosegrass, or cleavers, or stickybacks:

    https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/goosegrass/goosegrass-herb-information.htm


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    #13
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,708 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    looksee wrote: »
    Contrary to what the books generally advise, I have found that it is possible to keep it under a bit of control without weedkiller by pulling all new growth, and if possible carefully lift soil and take out all the long white roots. This is a long job though and requires persistence.

    Sad individual that I am, this is the type of weeding I enjoy for some strange reason. Living in the burbs with adjoining neighbours gardens, weedkiller isn't going to remove anything permanently and something I try to avoid. If I was dealing with a couple of acres I'd probably think differently.


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    #14
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,052 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    smacl wrote: »
    Sad individual that I am, this is the type of weeding I enjoy for some strange reason. Living in the burbs with adjoining neighbours gardens, weedkiller isn't going to remove anything permanently and something I try to avoid. If I was dealing with a couple of acres I'd probably think differently.

    Agreed, but probably more to the point is your ability to stay on your knees weeding for any length of time, and then be able to get up again!


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    #15
    Goodigal
    Registered Users Posts: 455 ✭✭Goodigal


    Have to agree with smacl - this weed I almost admire. It's unreal how fast it grows and is so complicated when you look at the way it wraps around other plants! I just have it in one section of my garden but find it therapeutic pulling it up!


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    #16
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,708 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    looksee wrote: »
    Agreed, but probably more to the point is your ability to stay on your knees weeding for any length of time, and then be able to get up again!

    I got my father a comfy kneeler many years back with handles to help push yourself up from prone. Flip it over and it became a little stool. Great yoke.
    Getting to the point where I could do with one myself. Whatever about the knees, the jeans are wrecked after a couple of hours in the garden.

    kneelera.jpg


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    #17
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,052 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I have one of those, or at least something similar. I find though that leaning down to the ground (it is slightly raised) does my back in in no time. Its more comfortable kneeling on a pad of something, but of course then I can't get up!


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    #18
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,052 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I foolishly covered a bed with weed suppressant membrane, but bindweed was growing like mad round all the edges and up through holes that had been made for plants. So I ripped up the membrane only to find the entire bed was a solid mass of white roots on the surface, it was unreal how many there were.


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    #19
    Spanish Eyes
    Registered Users Posts: 15,865 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    I just keep pulling the bloody bindweed up and out. Works for a season if you are on top of it. But IME give it six days and the day of the Triffids is back.

    Just have to keep pulling it out.

    I heard that putting a few canes here and there makes the bindweed grow up the canes. But I haven't tried that yet.


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    #20
    prinzeugen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,891 ✭✭✭prinzeugen


    I managed to eradicate bindweed from my garden. Still have it creeping in from the gardens at the back of mine however.

    A few tips - Dont pull it out. You will make it worse. A tiny bit of stem will form roots and you will end up with twice the amount.

    Spray Round-up or similar on it. Then leave it! Dont touch it! Keep a watch for any new shoots and spray them too.

    Only pull it out after the plant has died and gone brown. This might be 2-3 weeks after you sprayed it. If you pull it up earlier you risk a bit half dead stem going into the ground, taking root and you are back to square one.


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    #21
    Hedgelayer
    Registered Users Posts: 530 ✭✭✭Hedgelayer


    I dig it out as much as I can if possible without damaging any root's of other plants.
    I suppose easier said than done.
    Even a piece of root an inch long should be taken out.
    It keeps spreading underground and in one place I filled a black plastic bag out of a herbaceous border.

    Black plastic bag tied in a knot and into the bin.....

    Two bird's with one stone dig over the herbaceous border and get rid of that awful weed....

    I enjoy that kind of work so the hard going doesn't bother me.


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    #22
    prinzeugen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,891 ✭✭✭prinzeugen


    Hedgelayer wrote: »
    I dig it out as much as I can if possible without damaging any root's of other plants.
    I suppose easier said than done.
    Even a piece of root an inch long should be taken out.
    It keeps spreading underground and in one place I filled a black plastic bag out of a herbaceous border.

    Black plastic bag tied in a knot and into the bin.....

    Two bird's with one stone dig over the herbaceous border and get rid of that awful weed....

    I enjoy that kind of work so the hard going doesn't bother me.

    I would love to be able to dig it out but my back garden is 99% mature carpet roses so I would need to borrow a knights armour to get near the roots!

    What many folks don't realise is that a bit of stem from the top growth will root with this stuff.

    I think it is as bad as Japanese Knotweed.


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    #23
    iamtony
    Registered Users Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭iamtony


    5PFmxDD8VJAW54Ga6https://photos.app.goo.gl/5PFmxDD8VJAW54Ga6 I swear this growth happened over night, Poxy stuff


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    #24
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,009 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    There are only two weeds I use glyphosate (carefully!) on: mare's tail and bindweed.

    IMO bindweed is perfect for glyphosate as it kills the plant at the roots. I admire anyone with the patience to remove it by hand, but that's not for me. Yes, I feel bad. But not that bad.


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    #25
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,329 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    how do you apply it to mare's tail? i've often heard that it doesn't take up the glyphosate well.


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    #26
    gaiscioch
    Registered Users Posts: 1,530 ✭✭✭gaiscioch


    Some impressively knowledgeable people here; thank you. This sounds like the weed from Hell. Have they made a movie about it yet?

    I've been pulling it up - which I now know from above I shouldn't be - largely because I'm not sure... and I'll say this quietly... what's a weed and what's not a weed so I don't want to spray weed killer on stuff that's not actually a weed (somebody else planted everything for me and unless it has a flower it could be a victim of my ignorance).

    It's particularly scary that, according to somebody above, even if you leave a bit behind, it could grow again like that Greek Hydra which grew more heads when one was chopped off. Is there any way to ensure it is completely gone (I was thinking of replacing all the soil in the flower bed, which would be futile if a bit remains)? What makes it grow so quickly in a place (like my hedge above) where it never was an issue before?

    Is there any way to kill it, or is all about controlling it?


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    #27
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,009 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    how do you apply it to mare's tail? i've often heard that it doesn't take up the glyphosate well.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=107262842&postcount=76

    No sign of reappearance yet.


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    #28
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,191 ✭✭✭✭Nekarsulm


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    how do you apply it to mare's tail? i've often heard that it doesn't take up the glyphosate well.

    Over on the farming forum, lads report good results spraying it with a mix of Grazon90 and MCPA.
    You could paint it on small clumps, but it'd be expensive buying a litre of Grazon90 just for a few cc needed


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    #29
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,052 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    OP, bindweed is one of these things that is sent to try us :D You can get rid of it to an extent where, provided you keep an eye on the situation it will not be too much of a liability. You have to be a bit pragmatic about it though. If it is in a hedge then its a waste of time disentangling every bit, treat what you can get at and it will kill the roots that are carrying the growth in the hedge. Don't spray it, you will get weedkiller on plants you want to keep. Gather up what you can and treat that, and eventually it will pretty much give up - it is unlikely to go completely as there are probably roots coming through from next door, but you can get it under control.


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    #30
    westsidestory
    Registered Users Posts: 228 ✭✭westsidestory


    Lumen wrote: »
    magicbastarder wrote: »
    how do you apply it to mare's tail? i've often heard that it doesn't take up the glyphosate well.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=107262842&postcount=76

    No sign of reappearance yet.
    Link not working for me, can you put up another or copy & paste.


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    #31
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,009 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    westsidestory wrote: »
    Link not working for me, can you put up another or copy & paste.

    It works for me on mobile, desktop, logged in or out and in incognito mode, so I'm fairly sure you're following the link wrong. :D


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