Bindweed among precious plants

Question

SD

Bindweed among precious plants

by

Susan David

7 years ago

6

How can I get rid of bindweed growing in a corner filled with special plants including roses and clematis?

Jane Perrone · Answer 1 · 7th September 2017, 17:52:49

If (like me) you are growing organically, the options are either digging it out, or deep mulching with layers of cardboard, homemade compost or spent compost to weaken the roots. The former method will probably involve digging up everything in that corner, and painstakingly removing bindweed roots, then replanting. With the latter, dig up whatever you can then mulch - you probably won't get rid of it completely this way but you should weaken it enough to at least keep it in check. It's not quick, it's backbreaking, but I am afraid there are no simple solutions when it comes to bindweed!

Elspeth Briscoe · Answer 2 · 7th September 2017, 18:06:27

Thanks for popping by Jane. Susan you may well know Jane from the Guardian (as gardening correspondent). She also regularly contributes here at Learning with Experts. Thanks Jane!

Charlie Ryrie · Answer 3 · 7th September 2017, 18:22:49

There's actually something incredibly satisfying for organic gardeners such as myself in spending an hour with your trowel or fork getting rid of the little roots, it's not difficult at all, just a bit time consuming but totally satisfying and not really a huge chore.

Dr Noel Kingsbury · Answer 4 · 8th September 2017, 06:21:41

If you're not organic, you can do this: 1) put in canes for the bindweed to climb up, 2) then mmix Roundup diluted to instructions with wallpaper paste and paste on. You can also carefully unravel some bindweed, push into plastic bag, spray herbicide into bag, and leave. Bag can be removed in a few days.

Elspeth Briscoe · Answer 5 · 8th September 2017, 06:24:18

Thanks Noel! You can get more tuition from Dr Noel Kingsbury on his perennials course

John Bates · Answer 6 · 15th September 2017, 18:56:21

Susan - I agree with Noel - grow up a cane - then I just remove the cane lay the bindweed on the ground and then spray with round up. This method works well with bind weed that you can untangle that's starting to grown in a shrub, Alternatively I have startign to try roundup gel - rather than the spray if I can only get to the leaves - say if its within a deep hedge. Digging out isn;t really an option often as the roots go very deep and it can regenerate from any pieces left behind. So non chem control is very difficult

Bindweed among precious plants

Bindweed among precious plants

Susan David

Planting Design with Perennials

Naturalist, modernist, and Oudolf-look planting schemes

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