Bindweed problems

Yes, I've also noticed the large amount of bindweed about. It is mainly attracted to the areas I water, but not only.
It's one of those weeds (sorry, wild flowers) that will probably always be with us. It gives us gardeners something to do - as if we don't have enough already!!

 

The jury's out on it's persistence in the soil. The ecolos say it persists, the manufacturers say it doesn't. I've never experienced any problems growing stuff in soil where weeds have been treated. My favourite method for tackling bindweed in amongst other plants is to stuff as many stems as poss into a half-buried jam jar or similar and top up jar with correctly-diluted glypho concentrate. Leave until top growth is gone, then re-use jar elsewhere. Brambles are more tricky. Try NigelJ's method of rubber gloves and protection for nearby plants.

 

Thanks, @noisette47. I'm seriously tempted to try the glyphosate-jar method. Before I do, a couple of quick questions:

(1) Have you had any bindweed return from the grave after following this method?
(2) What concentration should be used?
(3) How long should the bindweed ends be submerged/soaked?
(4) How long before the pesky bindweeds begins to die?

Many thanks.

 

To back up @noisette47 - I had a stand of Japanese knotweed in my field. I sprayed it with glyphosate to leaf drip stage at the correct time of year. Died completely. Never came back. Soil in that area now growing loads of other weeds!

 

Hi @CarolineL, sorry but I couldn't follow this: "I sprayed it with glyphosate to leaf drip stage at the correct time of year." What is "leaf drip stage"? And when is the correct time of year? (I'm new to gardening, so apologies if some this is elementary.)

 

Bindweed may need more than one application, I find as its very deep rooted, but it certainly knocks it back for a whole season.
The instructions are usually on the bottle or container on when to spray, the weeds need to be actively growing in order to absorb the chemical, so from April to September is good.

 

I just asked for Glysophate because I went to a local farm shop, May's Farm shop. I assumed it was neat as it is very strong. The label has been put away somewhere safe, never to be seen again, except when I am not looking for it!

 

This is the stuff I have.

I always write the dosage in big letters on chemical containers, it saves me having to get my glasses and wade through all the waffle in which they seem to like to hide the dosage for some reason.
Often even the actual chemical is in tiny lettering hidden somewhere.

 

Hi, sorry for late reply...... having laptop problems. In UK no, it worked first time. Here in France it's a losing battle, partly because of the size of the garden and partly because of bad farming practices it's become resistant even to Glyphosate. As pete says, the correct dosage will be printed on the label with info on differing doses for different weeds. As said above, I leave them until the top growth has practically disappeared, but in theory once the leaves have made contact, the chemical is translocated down to the roots, killing them too. I wouldn't remove treated top-growth or disturb the soil for 4-6 weeks. The problem here is that farmers have been told that they can spray and then cultivate after a few hours. Stupid advice! The result is propagation of the weeds rather than destroying them, but it makes for healthy chemical sales.

 

If you can time it right, and the weather is dry, I have heard that Autumn spraying can be very effective as the plant draws down for winter,

 

Hi @tommyrot sorry for late reply. Japanese knotweed is a bit of a pig, so needs specific treatment. There has been research that showed it was best dealt with by one spray when in peak growth (eg June) and another when dying back (eg October) to take the herbicide back to the roots. For bindweed, just dose when it's growing vigorously. Leaf drip just means you should ensure leaves are sprayed enough that it starts to drip off. Not a problem if you follow suggestions from others to enclosed the growing plant greenery in bag or plastic bottles.

 

Folks, I'm thinking of using glyphosate in flower beds with beloved plants. I wouldn't be spraying, I would be using a painstaking, but targeted technique of brushing the bindweed leaves.

But I've never had a planted areas/flower beds before so, I'm worried. I've been procrastinating ordering it for fear of the impact on the soil. If, after treatment, the weed roots biodegrade in the soil, surely there must be residual matter in the soil.

Also, how much of any bindweed plant's leaves do I need to target e.g. 50%, 75%?

Thank you. (Forgive any silly questions.)

This very short 2-pager from the soil association suggests harmful effects on fungi with every application, and detrimental to microbes when used regularly.

https://www.soilassociation.org/media/7229/glyphosate-and-soil-health-a-summary1docx.pdf

 

Well hopefully you wouldn't be doing it regularly, and the targeted approach will mean little impact on the soil. I would try and paint as many leaves as you can... For knotweed I tried to get them all, but even if you only get half, it should still impact the plant. However it's getting late in the growing season so you need to do it before it dies back.

 

To be honest, if you're going to be working that meticulously anyway, I'd just break each bindweed at the base (pulling a little out of the soil if possible) and leaving the bindweed plant in situ to die. Go back weekly for a few weeks and do the same with any regrowth. No need for chemicals.

 

You mentioned applying it before we reach the end of the growing season. I take it that's because the weed's nervous system must be active for the solution to pass through? (Clearly, I'm very out of my depth.)