Dealing with Bindweed: A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction
Bindweed is a persistent perennial weed that can cause major problems in gardens. This guide will provide you with the knowledge and techniques you need to effectively control and eliminate bindweed.
Types of Bindweed
There are two main types of bindweed:
- Hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium): Fast-growing with slender, twining stems and large white trumpet flowers.
- Field bindweed (Convulvulus arvensis): Smaller and less vigorous with pink or white trumpet flowers.
Both types have brittle roots that easily break, making them difficult to remove completely.
Why Bindweed is a Problem
Bindweed is a persistent weed because:
- It has a long lifespan.
- Its fast-growing roots can penetrate the root systems of other plants, choking them and reducing their growth.
- Even small pieces of root left in the ground can develop into new plants.
How to Control Bindweed Without Chemicals
Digging Out Roots
Digging out bindweed roots is the most effective way to control it.
- Dig up roots in winter or early spring before plants start growing.
- Use a fork to avoid breaking up the roots.
- Remove every last bit of root wherever possible.
- Where bindweed has grown through the roots of other plants, carefully loosen the soil and pull out entire pieces.
- Lift and divide herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses that are infested with bindweed, removing the bindweed in the process.
Other Chemical-Free Methods
- Hoeing, cutting, or pulling off shoots to weaken growth.
- Covering the soil with weed control fabric, black polythene, or old carpet to block out light and starve the bindweed.
- Using homemade weed killers or weed burners to kill top growth and weaken the weed.
Disposing of Bindweed Roots
- Never compost bindweed roots, as they can survive and spread.
- Compost roots in stout black plastic bags, folding over the top to keep out light, for at least a year.
- Dispose of bindweed roots in your garden waste collection or take them to a recycling center.
How to Control Bindweed Using Chemical Weedkillers
Glyphosate
Glyphosate is the only systemic weedkiller that can completely kill bindweed. It is absorbed by the leaves and transported down into the roots.
Applying Glyphosate
- Apply glyphosate to the foliage of bindweed from summer to early autumn.
- Follow all safety instructions carefully.
- Avoid getting glyphosate on garden plants, as it kills everything it touches.
- Where bindweed is growing among garden plants, use canes to support the bindweed and then slip the growth off the canes into clear plastic bags. Apply glyphosate to the bindweed in the bags and secure them with clothes pegs.
Additional Tips
- Mulch around plants to suppress bindweed growth.
- Keep your garden clean and free of weeds to prevent bindweed from establishing.
- Be patient and persistent. Controlling bindweed takes time and effort.
Conclusion
Bindweed can be a challenging weed to control, but by following the techniques described in this guide, you can effectively manage and eliminate it from your garden. Remember to be patient, persistent, and always dispose of bindweed roots properly to prevent its spread.
