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Weed identification
fhc
Posts: 3
Hello
I have just purchased my first home.
It has what will be a lovely garden but currently it is over grown.
While removing so of the over grown shrubs I located these:
It doesn't have any flowers on the vines.
It has fully wrapped around some plants so tightly it isnt possible to remove it without taking the other plant out also
Any advice on what it is, how to get rid of it and how to dispose of it is welcomed.
Thank you in advance
0
Posts
Hello fhc, I am no expert but I think you have a bad attack of bindweed. If it is then you will find lots of stuff on this forum about the dedication of many gardeners in its eradication!
Quick and dirty is to use a systemic weedkiller but that might catch some other plants.
Long and slow is to keep taking the green off and, where possible, dig out as much of the root as you can. I can tell you that it never gives up but gets seriously discouraged. Watch out though as any tiny part of it will try and regrow if it gets anywhere near the ground.
Glyphosate weedkiller works, and is generally felt to be the least bad chemical option (in spite of what you may read about it being carcinogenic). If you can unwind the bindweed from its host plant, protect surrounding "good" plants somehow (some people put the bindweed - attached to its roots, obviously - into a carrier bag before spraying) and spray according to the instructions. The weedkiller will kill any plant it touches so you need to be careful.
If some of it grows again next spring you can put a bamboo cane in the ground next to it, and encourage it to grow up the cane instead of your plants. Then it'll be easier to spray (if there's any weedkiller left which we are permitted to use by next year...)
The fat white roots break easily, if you go down the digging route, and can go down 6 feet.
Good luck!