Hi all,

I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the dreaded
bindweed. It's coming from next door, under the fence and is invading my
lovely tidy beds. I have to keep digging them up and disturbing all the
bark to get to the roots, but the stuff just seems to proliferate. I've
tried glyphosate which seems to be the recommended stuff for killing the
wretched weed, but it doesn't seem to work. I even snuck round when the
neighbours were out and sprayed glyphosate on the weed on their side of the
garden. It seems to have no effect whatsoever.
If anyone has any other bright ideas I would love to hear them. This is the
third year I've put up with this and it's driving me crazy!!
Jo

In article ,
Jo wrote:

I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the dreaded
bindweed. It's coming from next door, under the fence and is invading my
lovely tidy beds. I have to keep digging them up and disturbing all the
bark to get to the roots, but the stuff just seems to proliferate. I've
tried glyphosate which seems to be the recommended stuff for killing the
wretched weed, but it doesn't seem to work. I even snuck round when the
neighbours were out and sprayed glyphosate on the weed on their side of the
garden. It seems to have no effect whatsoever.
If anyone has any other bright ideas I would love to hear them. This is the
third year I've put up with this and it's driving me crazy!!

Yeah, well, I've being doing the same for 27 years :-(

Bindweed is a New Zealand plant that has grown up the wrong way.
You can make it sulk by using glyphosate, but that typically
causes the top to produce only a few dwarfed leaves - a year
or two later, it will regrow from its roots deep in the earth's
core.

The only thing more persistent is horsetail.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Nick Maclaren wrote:
:: In article ,
:: Jo wrote:
:::
::: I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the
::: dreaded bindweed. It's coming from next door, under the fence
::: and is invading my lovely tidy beds. I have to keep digging them
::: up and disturbing all the bark to get to the roots, but the stuff
::: just seems to proliferate. I've tried glyphosate which seems to
::: be the recommended stuff for killing the wretched weed, but it
::: doesn't seem to work. I even snuck round when the neighbours
::: were out and sprayed glyphosate on the weed on their side of the
::: garden. It seems to have no effect whatsoever.
::: If anyone has any other bright ideas I would love to hear them.
::: This is the third year I've put up with this and it's driving me
::: crazy!!
::
:: Yeah, well, I've being doing the same for 27 years :-(
::
:: Bindweed is a New Zealand plant that has grown up the wrong way.
:: You can make it sulk by using glyphosate, but that typically
:: causes the top to produce only a few dwarfed leaves - a year
:: or two later, it will regrow from its roots deep in the earth's
:: core.
::
:: The only thing more persistent is horsetail.
::

And I'm inundated with both, even treating the flagged area with sodium
chlorate every three months doesn't seem to stop horsetails.


--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.

"Jo" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the dreaded
bindweed. It's coming from next door, under the fence and is invading my
lovely tidy beds. I have to keep digging them up and disturbing all the
bark to get to the roots, but the stuff just seems to proliferate. I've
tried glyphosate which seems to be the recommended stuff for killing the
wretched weed, but it doesn't seem to work. I even snuck round when the
neighbours were out and sprayed glyphosate on the weed on their side of
the
garden. It seems to have no effect whatsoever.
If anyone has any other bright ideas I would love to hear them. This is
the
third year I've put up with this and it's driving me crazy!!
Jo

Thanks guys...I feel a lot better now. It's encouraging to know that I'm
not the only one constantly fighting the blasted weed!!

Jo

"Jo" wrote in message
...

"Jo" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the dreaded
bindweed. It's coming from next door, under the fence and is invading
my
lovely tidy beds. I have to keep digging them up and disturbing all the
bark to get to the roots, but the stuff just seems to proliferate.
I've
tried glyphosate which seems to be the recommended stuff for killing the
wretched weed, but it doesn't seem to work. I even snuck round when the
neighbours were out and sprayed glyphosate on the weed on their side of
the
garden. It seems to have no effect whatsoever.
If anyone has any other bright ideas I would love to hear them. This is
the
third year I've put up with this and it's driving me crazy!!
Jo

Thanks guys...I feel a lot better now. It's encouraging to know that
I'm
not the only one constantly fighting the blasted weed!!

Our allotment is where they all meet for the final confrontation. Horsetails
coming in from the left, bindweed from the bottom end, Ground elder from the
right, and a generous helping of couch grass and clover.

Steve
(just grateful we haven't got JKW...... yet)
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/steveandmaggiesplot

Steve wrote !!

Our allotment is where they all meet for the final confrontation.
Horsetails
coming in from the left, bindweed from the bottom end, Ground elder from
the
right, and a generous helping of couch grass and clover.

What, no Japanese Knot Weed? Would you like some to add to the fight?

Seriously, we had a large clump of brambles next to one of our allotments
and then along came Bindweed and in two seasons the brambles are almost
gone, smothered by the bindweed. Trouble is where it touches the ground it
roots and if I fail to see some creeping into the potato bed ......
A neighbour has a Bindweed problem and tours his garden looking out for any
shoots and then pulls them out. His persistence is having and effect after
one season, a plant cannot survive without leaves (well some can but that's
how they grow)

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Convolvulus arvensis...probably would be highly valued if it was difficult to grow...related to Morning Glory.... anyway heres what they recommend...

isolate the thing by giving bamboo cane support then wait until it has begun to produce flowers then give the herbicide...the idea is that its inner resourses will be at their lowest at the onset of flower production...late evening application is worth a try...effects of herbicide can be better .

if its under the fence and that side aint gettin treated....hmm...dunno .

"Jo" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the dreaded
bindweed. I've tried glyphosate which seems to be the recommended stuff
for killing the
wretched weed, but it doesn't seem to work.

I have only had a small infestation, but I got rid of it by bundling the
foliage up into a ball, treating with glyphosphate and putting it into a
polythene bag ( with the root end still in the ground). I added a bit more
liquid glyphosphate to the bag then sellotaped it up. The result was that
the bindweed was in contact with the glyphosphate for a long time
irrespective of how much it rained. I have not seen it since.

Peter

Jo writes

"Jo" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the dreaded
bindweed. It's coming from next door, under the fence and is invading my
lovely tidy beds. I have to keep digging them up and disturbing all the
bark to get to the roots, but the stuff just seems to proliferate. I've
tried glyphosate which seems to be the recommended stuff for killing the
wretched weed, but it doesn't seem to work. I even snuck round when the
neighbours were out and sprayed glyphosate on the weed on their side of
the
garden. It seems to have no effect whatsoever.
If anyone has any other bright ideas I would love to hear them. This is
the
third year I've put up with this and it's driving me crazy!!
Jo

Thanks guys...I feel a lot better now. It's encouraging to know that I'm
not the only one constantly fighting the blasted weed!!

You have my sympathy! I have a huge amount of it, plus ground elder -
another thing the Romans did for us!

I have found that if the soil is dry and crumbly, if you are patient and
if there are not too many plants (yes, I know, a lot of ifs) then it is
possible to gently explore where the damn stuff comes from. But be
warned, the roots are extremely fragile and snap at the slightest
opportunity. The only saving grace is it is distinctive, waxy white and
curling, with purple tips as it breaks through the ground. If I pick any
with newly broken ends, then I keep digging until I find the other end.
In early march I followed one set down under the plum tree until I had
made a rabbit burrow an arms length deep - but I think I got it all out.
I let them dry out and then burn them.

Its hopeless doing this if the soil is wet or damp, you just don't see
the roots.

Ground elder unfortunately has tiny thin roots which go straight down
metres. I don't know how I will tackle this, except by topping and maybe
roundup.
--
David

In article ,
Dave writes:
|
| I have found that if the soil is dry and crumbly, if you are patient and
| if there are not too many plants (yes, I know, a lot of ifs) then it is
| possible to gently explore where the damn stuff comes from. But be
| warned, the roots are extremely fragile and snap at the slightest
| opportunity. The only saving grace is it is distinctive, waxy white and
| curling, with purple tips as it breaks through the ground. If I pick any
| with newly broken ends, then I keep digging until I find the other end.
| In early march I followed one set down under the plum tree until I had
| made a rabbit burrow an arms length deep - but I think I got it all out.
| I let them dry out and then burn them.
|
| Its hopeless doing this if the soil is wet or damp, you just don't see
| the roots.
|
| Ground elder unfortunately has tiny thin roots which go straight down
| metres. I don't know how I will tackle this, except by topping and maybe
| roundup.

Er, it's the other way round! Ground elder is very shallow rooted,
bindweed goes down metres.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"peterlsutton" wrote in message
news

"Jo" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the dreaded
bindweed. I've tried glyphosate which seems to be the recommended stuff
for killing the
wretched weed, but it doesn't seem to work.

I have only had a small infestation, but I got rid of it by bundling the
foliage up into a ball, treating with glyphosphate and putting it into a
polythene bag ( with the root end still in the ground). I added a bit
more
liquid glyphosphate to the bag then sellotaped it up. The result was that
the bindweed was in contact with the glyphosphate for a long time
irrespective of how much it rained. I have not seen it since.



I think that some have advised here in the past that the glyphosphate should
be a lot more dilute than normal - half strength or so.

Thinking being that if it is too strong then it doesn't get chance to get
right down it's very long roots before the plant dies off.

--
Richard Sampson

mail me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

Dave wrote:

Jo writes

"Jo" wrote in message
...

Hi all,

I can't get rid of it...it's going crazy in my garden....the dreaded
bindweed. It's coming from next door, under the fence and is invading my
lovely tidy beds. I have to keep digging them up and disturbing all the
bark to get to the roots, but the stuff just seems to proliferate. I've
tried glyphosate which seems to be the recommended stuff for killing the
wretched weed, but it doesn't seem to work. I even snuck round when the
neighbours were out and sprayed glyphosate on the weed on their side of

Slightly over diluted works better than nominal strength. You want the
plant to die slowly so that there is more damage to the extensive root
system. If you hit it ocnsistently every week for a whole season there
will not be much left at the end of it.

I used to let it grow at the wild end of my garden. It never did much
more than compete with the honeysuckle and other hedgerow plants.

You have my sympathy! I have a huge amount of it, plus ground elder -
another thing the Romans did for us!

Ground elder is mildly annoying because it will regrow from the tiniest
piece of the brittle white roots/rhizomes that it forms.

I have found that if the soil is dry and crumbly, if you are patient and
if there are not too many plants (yes, I know, a lot of ifs) then it is
possible to gently explore where the damn stuff comes from. But be
warned, the roots are extremely fragile and snap at the slightest
opportunity. The only saving grace is it is distinctive, waxy white and
curling, with purple tips as it breaks through the ground. If I pick any
with newly broken ends, then I keep digging until I find the other end.
In early march I followed one set down under the plum tree until I had
made a rabbit burrow an arms length deep - but I think I got it all out.
I let them dry out and then burn them.

Its hopeless doing this if the soil is wet or damp, you just don't see
the roots.

Ground elder unfortunately has tiny thin roots which go straight down
metres. I don't know how I will tackle this, except by topping and maybe
roundup.

??? Are you sure? Round here ground elder has shallow fat brittle white
roots 5-10 mm diameter. And will succumb to regular strimming though I
prefer to hit it with glyphosate first and then dig out the dying
plants. That way any bits you miss are less likely to regrow.

I have an endless supply of ground elder in adjacent fields. All I can
do is keep it at the boundary. Shallow roots so not too hard to do.

Regards,
Martin Brown

I wrote this about bindweed, *but I could be wrong of course*:

the roots are extremely fragile and snap at the slightest
| opportunity. The only saving grace is it is distinctive, waxy white and
| curling, with purple tips as it breaks through the ground. If I pick any
| with newly broken ends, then I keep digging until I find the other end.
| In early march I followed one set down under the plum tree until I had
| made a rabbit burrow an arms length deep - but I think I got it all out.
| I let them dry out and then burn them.

And AIUI this stuff is brighter green, has very long above ground shoots
with purple stems, can climb itself 2-3m into trees and be very very
quick to smother almost anything (one book says 25 sq m in a season,
which would be spot on). It binds very tightly round anything and cannot
be unwound, but needs several attempts to break the stems and pull them
off. The roots are off-white, ivory, waxy, generally complex but without
root hairs, and usually curled and relatively fat. Has long arrow-shaped
leaves and white flowers. Page 282 of Collins Complete British Wildlife
shows what I understand to be it, both Field Bindweed and Hedge
varieties.
|
| Ground elder unfortunately has tiny thin roots which go straight down
| metres. I don't know how I will tackle this, except by topping and maybe
| roundup.

AIUI this stuff is more bluey-green, with smaller leaves and smaller
flowers, thinner stems which can generally be pulled out of whatever its
climbing into, and which appear as generally shorter multiple shoots off
one common ground-root, and the roots are browny and consistently thin
and apart from having a few coils near the surface they then descend
very deep indeed. Unfortunately the collins guide shows something
completely unlike what I know as ground elder :-( It is possible I am
calling this by the wrong name, and I have in fact two varieties of the
same thing, this one possibly being called 'small bindweed' according to
other books which are not very clear.

Nick Maclaren writes
Er, it's the other way round! Ground elder is very shallow rooted,
bindweed goes down metres.

Maybe I have my wires crossed? I may be able to send photos in a while -
I have just seen shoots of both growing out :-((. It would be nice to
find out.
--
David

In article ,
Dave wrote:
I wrote this about bindweed, *but I could be wrong of course*:

You aren't. Your mistake was different :-)

| Ground elder unfortunately has tiny thin roots which go straight down
^^^^^^^^^^^^
| metres. I don't know how I will tackle this, except by topping and maybe
| roundup.

AIUI this stuff is more bluey-green, with smaller leaves and smaller
flowers, thinner stems which can generally be pulled out of whatever its
climbing into, and which appear as generally shorter multiple shoots off
one common ground-root, and the roots are browny and consistently thin
and apart from having a few coils near the surface they then descend
very deep indeed. Unfortunately the collins guide shows something
completely unlike what I know as ground elder :-( It is possible I am
calling this by the wrong name, and I have in fact two varieties of the
same thing, this one possibly being called 'small bindweed' according to
other books which are not very clear.

Nick Maclaren writes
Er, it's the other way round! Ground elder is very shallow rooted,
bindweed goes down metres.

Maybe I have my wires crossed? I may be able to send photos in a while -
I have just seen shoots of both growing out :-((. It would be nice to
find out.

Yes, hedge and field bindweeds, respectively. Note your error, which
is what I was responding to :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Nick Maclaren writes
In article ,
Dave wrote:
I wrote this about bindweed, *but I could be wrong of course*:

You aren't. Your mistake was different :-)

Yes, hedge and field bindweeds, respectively. Note your error, which
is what I was responding to :-)

Oh lucky me then, two varieties of the stuff :-((
--
David