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Bindweed strangling other plants

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  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    edited August 2023
    I've never been keen to use glyphosate, and prefer to spend time on my hands and knees, locating where the bindweed comes out of the ground. A careful dig around enables me to pull out a good length of it. If (when) it returns, I repeat the process.

    There will be people here who will throw their hands in the air in horror, informing me that all I am doing is breaking the root, thus creating additional locations for the bindweed to grow from.

    Yes, but the attention to the process on a regular basis is not an issue for me, and sooner or later, the plant the bindweed is growing around, will have to be replaced. At that point, I dig as much bindweed out as possible.

    I've never lost a plant to strangulation from bindweed, and when the weed produces flowers, I get more pollinators in the garden.
    I live with bindweed, and attempt to keep it under control. Not everyone has the time.

    Edited to add: most of my bindweed grows through from next door, which is where I put my raspberry canes. They get cut down each year anyway. They've never been strangled.
  • And probably helpful to use a concentrate so you have control of how effective the herbicide is. Off the shelf concentration won't work as effectively on a really well grown bindweed. And after you apply it to the plant makes sense to pop it all in a bad to minimise any possibility of collateral damage.

    My allotment plot had a huge bindweed problem and using no dig for a year and covering with landscape fabric other areas for 18 months really minimised it...so indeed herbicides aren't the only answer but if it's in a hedge I'd go with it as hand pulling will never sort the problem out. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • JelinaJelina Posts: 8
    Kili said:
    As Dove says paint it on the leaves. I do this and put it inside a plastic bag to stop any of the liquid rubbing on to adjacent leaves.

    Thankyou...I've ordered Glyphosate Commercial Industrial Strength Weed Killer.
    Should I paint this on neat or dilute as instructions...can't use as a spray as so much bindweed intertwined?

    Complete novice at gardening as it was my husband always looked after the garden.


    Hello @basenji and welcome to the forum 😊 

    If you paint the glyphosate onto the leaves of the bindweed it’ll travel to its roots but not affect the azaleas. They’ll be fine as long as you’re careful. 😊 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited August 2023
    You should dilute it to the recommended rate. Neat is not necessarily better. Glyphosate needs to be taken in by the leaves and drawn down to the roots, too strong a concentration can cause leaves to burn before sufficient 'poison' has been 'ingested'. 

    Apparently morning is the best time to apply the glyphosate.

    I would second the carrier bag trick. As long as the bindweed is attached to its roots, you can disentangle it and pull it well away from valuable plants to avoid all risk of 'drippage'. It can be bundled into plastic bags, sprayed inside them, and left in situ. You can use plastic sheets to further protect the azaleas  if you want. 

    If a drop or two of glyphosate got on your azaleas, they would likely survive but they might throw out a few sickly looking leaves, so best to put in a bit of planning and effort to avoid it. 
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • JelinaJelina Posts: 8
    Loxley said:
    You should dilute it to the recommended rate. Neat is not necessarily better. Glyphosate needs to be taken in by the leaves and drawn down to the roots, too strong a concentration can cause leaves to burn before sufficient 'poison' has been 'ingested'. 

    Apparently morning is the best time to apply the glyphosate.

    I would second the carrier bag trick. As long as the bindweed is attached to its roots, you can disentangle it and pull it well away from valuable plants to avoid all risk of 'drippage'. It can be bundled into plastic bags, sprayed inside them, and left in situ. You can use plastic sheets to further protect the azaleas  if you want. 

    If a drop or two of glyphosate got on your azaleas, they would likely survive but they might throw out a few sickly looking leaves, so best to put in a bit of planning and effort to avoid it. 

    Thankyou...rubber gloves canes and plastic bags at the ready 👍
  • Not usual but we had for various reason sowed some large sunflowers into a huge pot. They have grown and flowered well (but wont do it again). The wind has caused many issues and then the plants started to fall over again. So bindweed was plucked (everywhere in our garden at the moment) and used like twine to lift them up and support them in the tub. It has worked as we have had high winds again and all good. So we have found a use albeit limited for the bindweed in our garden.
  • SueAtooSueAtoo Posts: 380
    If I can get to the bottom of things like brambles/bindweed etc, I cut them down to about 2 inches and paint on stump killer (diluted to recommended strength). Unfortunately I've found Russian Vine (mile-a-minute) in a huge hedge and I'm going to have to have the whole thing demolished because I can't get to the bottom. Please don't buy Fallopia Baldschuanica unless you want a thug.
    East Dorset, new (to me) rather neglected garden.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I've never lost a plant to strangulation from bindweed,
    Nor me.  Even quite soft-stemmed hosts, the bindweed just supports itself.  Strangulation is quite the wrong word.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Jelina said:
    Thankyou...I've ordered Glyphosate Commercial Industrial Strength Weed Killer.  Should I paint this on neat or dilute as instructions...can't use as a spray as so much bindweed intertwined?



    Domestic strength is designed for domestic use.  What you should be using.  Commercial stregth is for commercial people, better trained and better equipped.

    Always read and follow the instuructions, theu're for your protection.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    bédé is right. Taking twice as much medicine won't make you twice as better twice as fast!
    The instructions have been formulated for optimal results.
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