I'm not a fan of chemicals as the first choice , default option. But I'm realistic about choices.
I once took on a garden with a beautiful mature yew hedge which was full of bindweed. Carefully using Roundup ,I got rid of most of it in year one ,and all of it by year 2.
I'm sure some would have suggested digging it all up, washing the roots and picking out bindweed. Hey ho. I'd like to see them try.
Good on yew hostafan. Washing the roots you say. Blimey! I'm lacerated from top to toe having un-knit bindweed from a huge, mature and, dare I say it, overgrown berberis. I diddled about doing other jobs and then did penance for about 15mins every time I went out. I've read that it dislikes disturbance and so it pays to keep at it until it gives up. I'll let you know who wins...and I hope it's me. I'm also in a war with ground elder and brambles in the same area. The brambles are on the run but the ground elder is driving me nuts!!!
Best to just accept it. Repeated removal will weaken it - on the plus side it’s very easy to pull or hoe and composts well. Deep roots mean it holds a lot of nutrients.
As long as you keep on top of it, it’s just like any other weed. Certainly preferable to bindweed. I’ve got both on my plot.
Posts
I'm not a fan of chemicals as the first choice , default option. But I'm realistic about choices.
I once took on a garden with a beautiful mature yew hedge which was full of bindweed. Carefully using Roundup ,I got rid of most of it in year one ,and all of it by year 2.
I'm sure some would have suggested digging it all up, washing the roots and picking out bindweed. Hey ho. I'd like to see them try.
Good on yew hostafan. Washing the roots you say. Blimey! I'm lacerated from top to toe having un-knit bindweed from a huge, mature and, dare I say it, overgrown berberis. I diddled about doing other jobs and then did penance for about 15mins every time I went out. I've read that it dislikes disturbance and so it pays to keep at it until it gives up. I'll let you know who wins...and I hope it's me.
I'm also in a war with ground elder and brambles in the same area. The brambles are on the run but the ground elder is driving me nuts!!!
pp
Ammonium Sulphamate is the answer.