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Bindweed is a perennial weed common on cultivated land. Left unchecked it vigorously wraps around plant stems, smothering them.
Description
It’s a vine type plant with pink and white flower varieties with green arrow shaped leaves. It will grow across the ground, over fences, plants and pretty much anything in its path. Bindweed can grow 6 feet or more in length with roots up to 16 feet deep allowing it to survive long periods of drought.
It grows from both seeds and roots. Seeds are reputedly viable for up to 30 years in the soil. If you spot bindweed in your garden make sure you get rid of it before it flowers and sets seed.
Bindweed grows easily from underground roots and rhizomes; this explains why you’ll see bindweed sprouting even if you prevented it from going to seed. Unfortunately even a tiny section of root in the soil is enough to allow this weed to grow.
Control and Removal
You’ll need to stay alert and persevere in your battle with this weed.
Physical control
Remove vines as soon as you spot them. Cut them off at soil level, there is no point in pulling it up and it is almost impossible to get all of the roots out. Continue to cut the weed off at ground level every time it begins to grow again, as soon as possible. You will probably have to do this many times but eventually you will starve the plant as it will not be able to photosynthesise and it will die. However this make take some time, hence the perseverance, but you’ll get there in the end.
Chemical control
Carefully un-twine the weed from the host plant. Apply non-selective weed killers to the foliage, take care that none touches other plants.
Is Bindweed of any use?
Some people find the flowers pretty and that they attract beneficial insects and exude a soft fragrance.
