[poultrygeist]

Been digging over the borders systematically for the past couple of weeks and one in particular was onfested last year with bindweed, brambles and bryony. Not a winning combination

I've managed to dig out most of the brambles so far along with the obligatory nettles and, in digging down, have also found the lattice work of white bootlaces that is bindweed roots. 
In the area I dug this afternoon, about 4ft x 2ft, I made a pile about 2ft across and 1ft high of the pesky stuff. I plan to attempt the dig and hoe method to kill it off but if it proves too much I have some systemic weedkiller on standby.
Any advice welcomed as long as it doesn't involve removing the top 5ft of soil and covering with weedbarrier for a decade (my only other option).

No sign of the bryony tubers yet but there must be a few in there somewhere. Might have another dig in a bit. 

Rob

[Yorkie]

Sounds like you're doing everything right, can't suggest anything else

Just keep going 

[poultrygeist]

I was secretly hoping it would start raining so I could come in and look disappointed !

Some of the roots are coming from under the concrete shed base (on top of soil). No hope of removing them so have to chop every so often.
I read last year that bindweed hates freshly dug soil, so I;ve turned over anywhere I can get the fork in. It was heartbreaking last summer cos everything was choked by it.

I think I'm going to win this year though.

Rob

[David.]

I read last year that bindweed hates freshly dug soil, so I;ve turned over anywhere I can get the fork in.

Ooooh, where did you "read" that?

[poultrygeist]

Somewhere on the t'interweb so it must be true 

I'm happy to try it and it does no harm (except to my back)

Rob

[peapod]

Ive heard that too (or was it Horsetail?Or both? ) anyway, if thats one of the ways to get it down then you should be good for a month or two, (and me fingers crossed) then it'll rear its ugly head again. I HATE the stuff

[poultrygeist]

My biggest problem is the graveyard. That turns into a jungle in summer and everything comes through (and under) the hedge. It's basically firefighting but I'm up for it.

Rob

[peapod]

At my plot site, where bindweed is rife in some places, a lot of the plots have slate vertically buried under the fence line and fences where the bindweed can climb and get blasted.  Seems to keep it under control slightly, may be worth a try but I bet it could be expensive Rob

[birmancats]

The potatos were choked with the stuff last year.  Going down tomorrow morning to give the worst bed a good digging over, I've noticed lots of the roots already.  Will plant fast growing things in this area and see if the regularly digging the soil theory works

[Babstreefern]

Flipping eck, I thought for a minute you was on my plot.  You are looking (or reading) the champion of bramble/bind weed picker outer. 

I find that you have to keep digging it out, though on the plus side, it does get less and less each year.  I dug out the brambles (the minute you see them popping their little heads, yank it out including the root - don't bother to hoe, and this goes with bindweed, don't hoe.  If you leave, even a minute little bit, it will grow.  But providing you take out as much as you can you should be ok.  And by the way, I didn't dig deep.  If its more than 3ft down, its more than likely won't grow as it needs sunlight.

Also, if you come across any old plastic bags that's been left in the ground, this attracts bindweed like anything - they seem to love plastic.

[poultrygeist]

Flipping eck, I thought for a minute you was on my plot.  You are looking (or reading) the champion of bramble/bind weed picker outer. 

I find that you have to keep digging it out, though on the plus side, it does get less and less each year.  I dug out the brambles (the minute you see them popping their little heads, yank it out including the root - don't bother to hoe, and this goes with bindweed, don't hoe.  If you leave, even a minute little bit, it will grow.  But providing you take out as much as you can you should be ok.  And by the way, I didn't dig deep.  If its more than 3ft down, its more than likely won't grow as it needs sunlight.

Also, if you come across any old plastic bags that's been left in the ground, this attracts bindweed like anything - they seem to love plastic.

That's strange. I found a fair bit of old plastic in the big veg plot from which I extracted several miles of root last year. I wonder if it's the chemicals as it breaks down.

I read another method of 'planting' canes to train it up so it can be blasted with weedkiller.

I'm still finding bits here and there. Was digging in the lawn edge and finding bits coming up. The other thing I forgot from last year is ground elder in one of the beds. Need to tackle that at some point.

Thanks folks. I'll try a few methods if I can and see if any work.

Rob

[poultrygeist]

Just been reading up on ground-elder. It's even worse than the rest !! 

There's people who've been battling it for years and losing. Roundup seems to do little. One thread from google search recommended mixing brushwood killer as a strong paste and paint it on as many of the leaves as poss. We might have to lift any plants and bulbs in the bed and I'll just get on my knees and start removing the roots.
It's spread into the lawn about 3ft x 5ft area and about twice that or more in the bed.

Any further advice much appreciated.

Rob

[mumofstig]

Re ground elder....the first year i was here i covered it with black plastic aiming to kill it..
when i took  it off it came back again 
So last spring i dug the bed and removed everylast bit of root that i could see.....killed my back but worth it i think.
Every now and then a bit pokes its head up but i glyphosate that bit....but i deffinately feel that i'm winning
Trouble for me is that it's coming in from next door.....they're non gardeners. So i've asked if i can do a strip along the fence with weed killer...they said yes so i'm tempted to do it with one of the 'path clear' type ones to kill everything ...no plants just weeds...o and one forsythia (weed as far as i'm concerned as it shades the veg bed )
Good luck with yours

[poultrygeist]

Thank Lesley.

We've sort of half-planned to remove any plant of worth, check for roots, then replant elsewhere.
Then I'll dig over the bed like I did the other borders and take out every damned scrap.
I think we'll have to remove the turf and do likewise there and just returf once I'm sure it's gone. I might try a bit of glyphosate if it comes back. The theory is to remove all top growth every time it appears but I'm afraid it might just spread instead of sprouting.

Brought in by the romans apparently for culinary use. Roads, underfloor heating and the mile don't make up for that error !! 

Rob

[compostqueen]

I have ground elder and it's an absolute pain. It makes spreading mats of tangled spagetti. Don't break it up if you can help it as each little bit is a potential time bomb.  I try and lift it out in as big a clump as poss, sort of teasing it out. Make sure you get rid of it in the council compo bin or burn the damned stuff.  You can bruise the foliage (when it's in full leaf is best so walk and stamp on it  and then apply glyphos but a bit more concentrated and you add fairy liquid to get it to adhere to the leaves. I used a watering can with a bar on.  You just have to keep hitting it when it reappears