Bindweed next to compost bin?

[PurpleBug]

So I�ve turned most of my garden into an allotment and am very excited to be growing my own veg. The trouble is there is bindweed EVERYWHERE. I�ve done my research and know not to compost it unless I drown it or dry it out first. I�ve just got a compost bin and I�m looking at where to put it and I�m worried about the bindweed sending out runners and getting into my compost bin at it�s open bottom where I cannot see to tackle it? Is this likely? I�m boarded on all 3 sides by the stuff. You could hardly see some of the fences when I moved in last summer. I�ve got a massive task ahead digging it out the roots are everywhere.

So basically yeah is it stupid to put a compost bin next to a fence I�m constantly pulling bindweed off as it invades from next door? Not really an option to put it away from the fence as there isn�t enough space

[nickdub]

If possible get some old carpet or similar and put down several layers of this on top of the bindweed/soil before getting your compost heap started there.

Of all places to have bindweed, a compost heap is probably the easiest to manage, as when you fork the compost out to use it when its ready, its pretty easy to see and put to one side the white bindweed roots.

[PurpleBug]

Would that work for one of the plastic open bottom compost bins? I don�t have a compost heap. I thought I needed to leave the bottom open for the worms?

[Mark_Riga]

I would agree with Nick but I wouldn't use any carpet as would make it more difficult when you are using it. I always use home made compost as a surface dressing so put most things in the heap including couch grass, dandelions, nettles, docks... When filling up a wheel barrow from the heap, any roots still alive are easy to see - and any missed are even easier to get out when raking it over the soil. I don't tend to put horse tail or bind weed on the heap.

[nickdub]

If you want to be sure of getting worms in your compost the simplest thing is to add a couple of shovels of gardens soil with your first few loads of material - be careful of house-hold waste like boiled food scraps, as that tends to attract rats.

[ameno]

Would that work for one of the plastic open bottom compost bins? I don’t have a compost heap. I thought I needed to leave the bottom open for the worms?

I can tell you from experience that worms will get in there on their own, whether it's on soil or not.
I have two compost bins, one main bin and one backup, where I just store stuff to later get transferred to the main bin. The backup is on plastic sheeting on top of a paved area, and every time I transfer the contents to the other one it is always full of worms. I believe they crawl above the surface during damp nights. They also always get into my pots on my patio, even though I use fresh compost to fill them and they are several metres from the nearest bare soil.
It's really quite surprising how far they can travel above ground. I once found one crawling up the inside of my front door (it's a wooden door, not a plastic one, so there would be enough gap underneath for a worm to get it).

It's allowing beneficial bacteria and fungi in which requires contact with soil. But for that, you can just add a couple shovels of soil, as has already been suggested.

[PurpleBug]

Ok great thanks for the advice!

[fishpond]

Bindweed=systematic weed killer----its the way I would go.