[green_fingered_ash]

Painting weeds that pop up around the veg i intend to eat, would the veg be ok to eat? i've been 99% organic up until this point in growing veg, however the bindweed and other weeds keep appearing.

[Gleavo]

Very fiddly. depends how much time, patience and plot you have I suppose.

I've got couch and am resigned to hoeing even that and pulling it and other weeds by hand near already growing veg. Once I have harvested the patches that are 2-3 metres away from living crops I spray round up.

Very slow and methodical but it's the only way I find I can clear a very overgrown plot I took over in september and still retain some productivity this year.

Bloke next to me has a plot to die for and keeps reminding me it's been 15 year's work. He reckons due to the state mine was in It'll be 3 year's before it's up to full productivity. I work full time so resigned to it playing the long game.

G

[sunshineband]

In theory the veg would be fine, but like Gleavo, I rely on hand pulling and hoeing.

You will eventually reduce that bindweed!!!!! 

[stompy]

With bind weed and couch i would weed kill it with glyphosate as you say by painting it on, this will kill off the roots too.

Another method is to put down cardboard around the plants held down with a brick or two to suppress the weeds and weed directly where the gap between the cardboard and plant stem is, then weed kill everywhere else.

This is my favoured method for around my squashes and courgettes, a 2ft sqr piece of cardboard with a 4 " hole for the plant to grow through.

[Johnnywesto]

I paint on Roundup (other weedkillers are also available) onto any marestail that pops up in between my crops - as said above it is fiddly but I got fed up of disturbing the roots and crops when trying to trowel out the weed roots.

[Ralphy]

A while ago some smart person suggested training the bindweed up a cane, then stuffing it inside a big plastic bottle with the base cut off, and giving it a squirt of roundup, it stops the spray going onto nearby plants and is alot easier than painting!

I honestly can't remember who posted this idea, but i've tried it on bindweed growing right next to the rasps with their roots running through the rows and it seems to work just fine. The bindweed has gone (for now) and the rasps are healthy

Whoever first suggested this, I salute you!

[green_fingered_ash]

Think i will paint bindweed and other deep rooted weeds between my plants (covering soil to reduce as much contamination with weed killer as possible. Whilst also painting the weeds on the paths to kill them all.

Hopefully in a week i'll have my whole allotment treated and will reduce the weeds by 90% i hope .