Bindweed - Mexican Marigolds ...

Hello all,

Some will have seen from my posts in 'Identification Area' that I have moved house and so also gained a new garden!

At the bottom of my garden is essentially an allotment. Although the raised beds are rotten & need replacing, everything is over grown & infested with weeds I'm confident I can make it quite a special place for growing my own.

Anyway the point of the thread, I have an issue with BINDWEED!! I've read various horror stories!! Both neighbours gardens have it too and don't seemed to want to combat it or don't realise how persistent it can be. At the moment it is on the perimeter of my plot but is encroaching closer!

Sorry organic gardeners however I'm already treating with Gallup 360 & will continue until the end of the season. I will then dig up as much as possible (root!)

I was amazed to read that Mexican marigolds release something from their roots which either repels or kills bindweed! Is this true? Has anyone tried it? Do French & African Marigolds also work?

It's crossed my mind to plant a perimeter of marigolds before I start my planting next year ...

Many thanks for any wisdom that comes my way. I'm sure I'll be heading this way more when I'm growing next season!

Chris

 

I can not answer regards the Marigolds, Now it is all down to size and affordability
I used paving stones upended and 18 inches deep as a border round my garden, ie edge on dropped down 18 inches, I picked them up ex council tip and I only needed 120 of them

Good luck

Regards Jack McH

 

I've never heard of marigolds killing bind weed, its usually the other way round.

I'd let the bind weed get some good growth going and then hit it with the glyphosate, best before the end of the month though.
It should kill off most of the roots but as with all things, some will remain to carry on next year, so be prepared to treat any that comes up next summer, but it should be weaker.

 

Yes thanks for that. Good advice regarding the pulling technique.

I've put a few doses of Gallup 360 on the area already. It might seem excessive however I'm considering applying it weekly until the end of the month (I won't be planting until 2017 anyway). A little sad though as I've sacrificed some shrubs & a few small fruit trees. It would've been near impossible to apply the weed killer without affecting these surrounding plants etc.

HOWEVER I felt it was a problem that needed getting on top of before I start growing all sorts of wonderful wonderfulness!!

When it comes to pulling them I'll follow the advice given.

I'll continue to read up on the Mexican marigolds etc, it was to try and get proactive on the situation rather than reactive!

Thanks

 

A lot of the bindweed was cut down by about halfway. Yes unfortunately I would've loved to have untangled each individual tree and shrub or cut it, then wait & added the weed killer (would've had to be by hand individually due to proximity to other shrubs & density) however I didn't put the context ... when trying to get control of this problem and the rest of the garden, filling an 8 yard builders skip up to the brim with over grown weeds & rotten wood from the raised beds, decorating a house, looking after my 1 year old daughter & working - time is not something I have at the moment and progress needed to be & has been swiftly made.

With the ground cleared apart from weeds at approx 1 foot I can generally monitor the work of the weed killer in this section of the garden freeing my time - the weekly additions is to stop any new stuff appearing or being eliminated while young/small so it doesn't end up in the same state again.

 

I have read all the previous comments aimed at eradicating "The scourge of Bindweed" and admit to already having tried most of them over the last three or so years.

But every spring it's back again with the first growths and apparently even more prolific than the previous year!

Advice I had been given (and one I have adopted) was to "pull" when growth was long enough and to keep on pulling throughout the season. This treatment seems to keep it in check but does little to remove the problem.

Before my retirement I worked away Monday's to Friday and most of my beds became negrected. It was during this period that the Bindweed seemed to take over all my hedges!

Looking back and considering all my efforts, I almost dispare to be honest! I have almost considered 'liking' the large white trumpet flowers among my hedges!

I hate to admit, but I do feel that the Scourge is winning!

 

I've lived with bindweed for years, I dont think you ever eradicate it entirely how ever you go about it.
I do think digging is the best way, but you need to be careful to remove every piece of white root you find, its how I did in it initially on my overgrown allotment over 30yrs ago, it was also infested with couch grass which is pretty bad also.
In those days I never used weedkillers, so it was a case of dig, remove what root you can, and then pull any regrowth.
It does work but its hard work.

As I've always understood with glyphosate, the more top growth there is the better the up take, and the more that will reach the roots.
Spraying/watering it onto mostly bare soil is a waste as it becomes inactive once it contacts soil.

One application can take up to two weeks to show any effects, its not really something you should be applying weekly, there is no point.

 

I think it's learning to live with some things. My 1 & only previous garden was small and was essentially ripped up & started from scratch. I knew every blade of grass!

Living in a more rural location in a bigger garden - I'll try to weaken & get rid of what I can thn move on ... As I said previously be more proactive in prevention. Regular weeding, hoeing, maybe occasional spot weed killer.

This is a link to an article I've found regarding the topic for your perusal (I hope it works!)

https://wellywoman.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/the-weed-killing-plant/