Bindweed, grrrrr, anyone successfully god rid of it?

Spanish Eyes

I have a great lavender bush in the front garden. But every year bindweed grows like wildfire and literally chokes it, wrapping itself around the bush.

It is so hard to get at the weed, being between the bush and the wall.

I've just noticed today that the weed is dying off, so I might try and pull it up.
AGAIN!

Has anyone gotten rid of bindweed, or any tips.

Thanks.

looksee

You are wasting your time pulling it up, next year it will come again with renewed enthusiasm!

If you can get in behind the bush you could try gently lifting the soil and removing some of the large swathes of roots you find, for starters. This will not get rid of the bindweed as it will grow from any small bits left, but it will help.

Next season look out for it starting to grow and put in a couple of canes or twigs and persuade the bindweed to grow up them, rather than the bush. During the early summer when the bindweed is vigorous, dip, spray or paint the leaves that you have trained with systemic weedkiller. Be very careful not to get the poison on any other plants.

Leave it for a week or so and the weedkiller will work its way back into the roots and kill the weed. Then you can pull it up, but look out for more growing and re-treat. You should be able to pretty well get rid of it if you keep after it, but it is persistent.

Spanish Eyes

looksee wrote: »

You are wasting your time pulling it up, next year it will come again with renewed enthusiasm!

If you can get in behind the bush you could try gently lifting the soil and removing some of the large swathes of roots you find, for starters. This will not get rid of the bindweed as it will grow from any small bits left, but it will help.

Next season look out for it starting to grow and put in a couple of canes or twigs and persuade the bindweed to grow up them, rather than the bush. During the early summer when the bindweed is vigorous, dip, spray or paint the leaves that you have trained with systemic weedkiller. Be very careful not to get the poison on any other plants.

Leave it for a week or so and the weedkiller will work its way back into the roots and kill the weed. Then you can pull it up, but look out for more growing and re-treat. You should be able to pretty well get rid of it if you keep after it, but it is persistent.

Fantastic.. Thats a great idea to try and grow this horrible weed up canes and then treat with glyphosate or similar.

I cannot wait to try it at first sign of new life from the b**gger.

Thank you.

Oldtree

from an older thread:

"Put canes into the ground and allow the bindweed to grow up the canes. Then carefully and lovingly apply a systemic weedkiller (kills roots too) like the roundup gel to the leaves. Hold a leaf in a gloved hand and paint on gel. Dont let treated leaves brush against any wanted plants, thus the raised canes. Sit back and watch the bindweed dry up and blow away over a few weeks while having a cup of tea.

I had this problem in my london garden and its a Bu**er, esp if the neighbours dont care, the problem will not go away completely but now you now have the control method to prevent ingress to your garden. "

You could do this now by unwinding the bindweed somewhat from your plants and winding it up a cane, tying in place and carefully apply neat glyposhate to get a head start. Its dry now and will be for a few days and thats all thats needed to get the systemic weedkiller in. Will probably need to repeat next year but the bindweed will be weakened.

looksee

I would have thought the bindweed was too old at this stage? It has to be actively growing for the whatever process to take the poison back to the roots.

Oldtree

a long as the leaves are green then they are still functioning, and as the bindweed in my garden is still currently green then i think it would be ok to give it a go.

but I've just noticed the op said their bindweed is dying so oops - my bindweed euthanasia programme would have to wait and I'll have to get those new glasses quick.....