We are trying to patch a 5 metre section of hedge destroyed during
re-building our house 2 years ago. The hedge we've planted is a mixture of
hawthorn, maple, beech and hornbeam against a field. The worst weeds being
goose-grass and bindweed. The whole bank is infested with it and it smothers
the hedglings. I've read that it's better to kill it later in the year
(around flowering time) rather than earlier on. Is this true? It's a devil
to unravel without breaking off hedge shoots.

Firstly, I've read that you want to stop it ASAP because the longer it is
there, the more established it becomes. Secondly, at Kew Gardens we saw a
similar section of hedge and they were doing the following.

Implant tall cane wigwams (taller that the surrounding hedge) - bindweed
loves to climb as high as possible
Wait for a good covering then spray the wigwams with systemic weedkiller
Repeat until it's all gone

In my organic garden, we've managed to get it under control by ruthlessly
digging up where we can dig and breaking it off at ground level where we
can't. If you break if off, the stems shrivel up and die and it drops off
by itself. I would also remove flowers in case they manage to set seed,
although they do this far less readily that, say, dandelions.

Eternal vigilance is required to attack as soon as it is big enough to spot.
If one does slip under the radar, it puts up a white flower to taunt you and
then the wrath of the gardener descends upon it ;-).

Good luck,
Paul DS.

snip

Eternal vigilance is required to attack as soon as it is big enough to spot.
If one does slip under the radar, it puts up a white flower to taunt you and
then the wrath of the gardener descends upon it ;-).

Good luck,
Paul DS.
Sounds mad to say but sometimes bindweed can look splendid,I have been
guilty of letting it grow somewhere it did not matter but I dont make a
habit of it. I agree with Paul vigilance is the answer. I sat back and
enjoyed the garden in the Spring and now I am paying the price.
I`m off into the borders right now,I may be some time :-)

kate

[snip]
Sounds mad to say but sometimes bindweed can look splendid.

We have a friend who lives in Minneapolis (MN, USA) and she has the same
problem with Morning Glories (which I believe are related but much prettier
to my mind). I have trouble getting Morning Glories to even grow, despite
the lush Bindweed!

Paul DS.

Paul D.Smith muttered:

Firstly, I've read that you want to stop it ASAP because the longer it is
there, the more established it becomes. Secondly, at Kew Gardens we saw a
similar section of hedge and they were doing the following.

Implant tall cane wigwams (taller that the surrounding hedge) - bindweed
loves to climb as high as possible
Wait for a good covering then spray the wigwams with systemic weedkiller
Repeat until it's all gone

So I should do this in spring...

In my organic garden, we've managed to get it under control by ruthlessly
digging up where we can dig and breaking it off at ground level where we
can't. If you break if off, the stems shrivel up and die and it drops off
by itself. I would also remove flowers in case they manage to set seed,
although they do this far less readily that, say, dandelions.

I've been doing more or less this so far - next year will be a different
matter tho!

Eternal vigilance is required to attack as soon as it is big enough to spot.
If one does slip under the radar, it puts up a white flower to taunt you and
then the wrath of the gardener descends upon it ;-).

Many thanks.

Good luck,
Paul DS.

In message , Magwitch
writes
We are trying to patch a 5 metre section of hedge destroyed during
re-building our house 2 years ago. The hedge we've planted is a mixture of
hawthorn, maple, beech and hornbeam against a field.

I'd have been inclined to hit the planting zone regularly with diluted
glyphosate for most of the previous season against bindweed. Funnily
enough bindweed has recently (last 3 years) appeared as a pest in local
gardens. Mostly we have ground elder on the field boundaries.

The worst weeds being
goose-grass and bindweed. The whole bank is infested with it and it smothers
the hedglings. I've read that it's better to kill it later in the year
(around flowering time) rather than earlier on. Is this true? It's a devil
to unravel without breaking off hedge shoots.

You could try providing some canes for the bindweed to grow up. I favour
a combination of continuous chemical attack with dilute glyphosate and
physical removal of any shoots I see ASAP.

Whenever the stuff has its leaves in sunlight it is making more of that
horrid white root that snaps whenever you dig it out. A fork and a bulb
planting trowel are useful accessories for weeding it out.

Established hedges can cope with bindweed - but small saplings might
disappear under it.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

[snip]

So I should do this in spring...

In my garden, anytime is the bindweed growing season! Two years ago I let
it go and by the end of the summer, most of the top half of my (overgrown)
garden was covered. I'd attack it now and keep attacking until it's at
least under control!

Having been ruthless last year, we've now left with a few persistent
stragglers holding out amongst the brambles. But it is very much improved
and I do feel that we are at least holding it back, if not completely
eradicated it.

Paul DS

"Paul D.Smith" wrote in message
et...
[snip]
Sounds mad to say but sometimes bindweed can look splendid.

We have a friend who lives in Minneapolis (MN, USA) and she has the same
problem with Morning Glories (which I believe are related but much
prettier
to my mind). I have trouble getting Morning Glories to even grow, despite
the lush Bindweed!

Paul DS.


Ah now that's the beauty of the UK weather, Morning Glory is not hardy
enough here, usually, so you can grow in and rely on winter to kill it off
for you.
Duncan

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
news
[snip]

You could try providing some canes for the bindweed to grow up. I
favour
a combination of continuous chemical attack with dilute glyphosate
and
physical removal of any shoots I see ASAP.

Surely performing that last action effectively negates the use of the
glyphosate?

Franz

In message , Franz Heymann
writes

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
news
[snip]

You could try providing some canes for the bindweed to grow up. I
favour
a combination of continuous chemical attack with dilute glyphosate
and
physical removal of any shoots I see ASAP.

Surely performing that last action effectively negates the use of the
glyphosate?

Not if you leave the glyphosate on for a fortnight first.

The trick to beating pernicious weeds is to keep on hitting them again
and again. It doesn't much matter what you hit them with. Even a stick
will cause them some damage. I generally hit bindweed and ground elder
with weedkiller (either glyphosate or verdone) every time I use the
stuff.

But I use as little as possible so one bottle lasts me a couple of
years. In between applications I physically remove any new shoots that
appear. And gradually dig out the roots. Damaged with weedkiller it is
less likely to survive if small bits break off.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

[snip]
Morning Glories ... rely on winter to kill it off.

You've never been to Minneapolis! My father-in-law doesn't consider it has
started to get cold until it reaches zero - fahrenheit!

Paul DS

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
...
In message , Franz Heymann
writes

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
news
[snip]

You could try providing some canes for the bindweed to grow up. I
favour
a combination of continuous chemical attack with dilute
glyphosate
and
physical removal of any shoots I see ASAP.

Surely performing that last action effectively negates the use of
the
glyphosate?

Not if you leave the glyphosate on for a fortnight first.

The trick to beating pernicious weeds is to keep on hitting them
again
and again. It doesn't much matter what you hit them with. Even a
stick
will cause them some damage. I generally hit bindweed and ground
elder
with weedkiller (either glyphosate or verdone) every time I use the
stuff.

But I use as little as possible so one bottle lasts me a couple of
years. In between applications I physically remove any new shoots
that
appear. And gradually dig out the roots. Damaged with weedkiller it
is
less likely to survive if small bits break off.

Each to his/her own technique......
I prefer to just use the glyphosate at its recommended strength and
patiently wait for it to do its job. Admittedly 2 applicationa are
sometimes necessary, spaced by about a fortnight.

Franz

On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 09:04:58 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:

Each to his/her own technique......
I prefer to just use the glyphosate at its recommended strength and
patiently wait for it to do its job. Admittedly 2 applicationa are
sometimes necessary, spaced by about a fortnight.

Whilst we were on holiday the local authority sprayed the pavements
with something, as a result the Horse's Tails are no more - except in
our garden.

[1] I was sure the local Green Left Party had decided that there would
be no further spraying of pavements, except by dumb animals.
--
Martin

On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 11:17:32 +0200, wrote:

On Fri, 23 Jul 2004 09:04:58 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:

Each to his/her own technique......
I prefer to just use the glyphosate at its recommended strength and
patiently wait for it to do its job. Admittedly 2 applicationa are
sometimes necessary, spaced by about a fortnight.

Whilst we were on holiday the local authority sprayed the pavements
with something, as a result the Horse's Tails are no more - except in
our garden.

[1] I was sure the local Green Left Party had decided that there would
be no further spraying of pavements, except by dumb animals.

Correction: Mares Tails :-)
--
Martin

In message , Steve
Harris writes
In article ,
(Franz Heymann) wrote:

I prefer to just use the glyphosate at its recommended strength and
patiently wait for it to do its job. Admittedly 2 applicationa are
sometimes necessary, spaced by about a fortnight.

The effects of glyphosate are often slow. Maybe a month to kill many
things. However, many treated plants look very slightly sick after about
a week.

And against bindweed you want it to be slower still so that the poison
has time to translocate along more of the plant roots before the stuff
dies off. Too strong and only the tops die without affecting the roots.

The only plants I have found in the garden that almost resist glyphosate
are holly seedlings and some buttercups. YMMV

Regards,
--
Martin Brown