Is bindweed really so bad?

Bindweed is every gardeners worst enemy right? Even I pull it and I'm normally reluctant to pull weeds out unless they're in the way. Then again, that's mostly because my bindweed seems to want to pull my blackthorn bushes out.
I would like something to grow up the boring, plain fence post that my homemade bird table is placed up and in this sense, bindweed is perfect. Then again, something less invasive like ivy would probably be perfect too.

What do you think? Would you avoid all things bindweed-related?

 

Something less invasive than Ivy? Such as bindweed? You really are joking, aren`t you?:D

 

Read it again Dai:D

 

You need to point it out Pete, I`m sorry.

 

I said "less invasive like ivy", you got it the wrong way round :D

 

Ok, here's my opinion, for what it's worth.
I can sort of see what you mean HBK. Bindweed, with its lush green foliage and attractive flowers (especially the larger Hooded Bindweed Convolvulus sepium) is not an unattractive plant to look at, but:
1. It is very invasive, if you let it thrive it will soon mount a takeover bid for your entire garden.
2. It looks rubbish in winter. Nothing but a few straggly, pathetic looking dead wiry stems will remain after October.
3. It attracts aphids (blackfly in particular), although this may actually be an advantage if it's right next to a bird table.
Oh, and one more thing, are you sure ivy would be any less invasive than bindweed?

 

No, I'm not sure of that one. That was a guess based on the amount of complains I hear of bindweed and how supportive people gardeners I knew were when I asked to take cuttings to grow up my fence.

Thanks for your advice.

 

And I said "less invasive than Ivy?" " Such as bindweed?" You think Ivy is more invasive than Bindweed? You are joking. Bindweed is 10 times worse than ivy. You want to spend your days trying to get rid of it.lol

 

"Is bindweed really so bad?".

Yes.

And no.

Bad
It will very, very quickly take over your garden. It will smother out all your plants and kill them dead. It will then quickly invade the gardens of your neighbours, killing their plants too. When you realise what you've let loose and try to tackle it, it will take the mickey out of you, sending up three or four new shoots for every one you pull out, peeping out from behind fence posts to taunt you, and even pretending to be gone for a few weeks until you plant something else, and then thousands of seeds in the ground germinate.

Good points
Bindweed is a miracle of evolution. It is fantastic. It can send roots 4ft straight into the ground, which can then travel many feet sideways before resurfacing and sprouting. It can propagate freely from the tiniest piece of broken root, or stem, and can root from the leaf. It also seeds abundantly. It can survive long periods of being blacked out from the sun, as its extensive root system holds such a large reserve of energy. It can thrive in most soil conditions. It is slightly resistant to glyphosate (although only slightly, glyphosate is good stuff).

 

Bindweed is such a deceptive plant, with its delicate-looking tendrils and papery trumpet flowers. In reality, it's anything but delicate. Try digging in a patch where it has been established for any length of time and you'll find that the soil is criss-crossed with a network of white, fleshy roots. As anyone who has tried to get rid of the stuff knows, any small piece of broken root will make a new plant in no time. Add to this bindweed's ability to wrap itself around your plants like a boa constrictor in what seems like under five minutes, and it really is something to avoid.

It's a shame, because I agree that it's a very pretty plant. Ipomoea 'Morning Glory' is from the same family and has gorgeous bright blue trumpets. It's an annual which won't invade your garden like its hardier cousin.

 

I'll take your advice to heart and leave bindweed well alone. I'm not very good at pulling out weeds as it is so I shouldn't really be encouraging a bad one to spread out.
While out this morning, while I passed my bird table, I noticed that the ivy bush at the back of my garden had sprouted a vine over 3 metres and was trying to find somewhere to climb. If I still want to spruce up my bird table I can always lead the ivy the short distance to it.
Thanks everybody.

 

I've just spent 3 days beside a glorious cliff-top hedge comprised of bindweed, brambles, nettles and russian vine!

 

Nice view

I've got bindweed all over my garden, well alot less now lol:o, its easy to kill in open spaces where you can dig it over then remove all roots, any short root that regrows can just be pulled strate out, leaf/root in well dug soil, but at the bounderys where you cant dig it'll be a constant weeding, you will kill it in the end, but you need to pull any new growth at least once a week, that said I do agree its a nice looking weed (amongst weeds) I'm always shocked how fast its closes its flowers at night, recon its a weed on speed lol

Plant Potty.

 

I've spent over 10 years trying to keep bindweed under control in my garden. Unfortunately it grows through the roots of my shrubs, so I can't dig it out completely, and I found most weedkillers didn't work on it. So I have resigned myself to the fact that I can't eliminate it completely. I guess it only becomes really bad if it smothers the rest of your plants and takes away the nutrients and light - which it will do if left to spread! I can't see any benefits of having bindweed instead of something less invasive!!