New allotment with bindweed problem

[TrixC]

We've recently taken on our first allotment and are facing an uphill battle to clear it of weeds. The main issue is bindweed as the plot had previously been rotavated by the council and there are numerous small fragments of root material which are all sprouting.

We've been trying to clear and plant sections of the plot at a time and dig out all the bindweed roots we can find, but every time I go there are new shoots coming up in the areas we've already cleared, and now that the vege plants are growing it's near impossible to dig it out.

I'm starting to feel we will never get on top of the weeds, particularly as we are at the corner of the site with another vacant plot next to ours, so essentially weeds enroaching from three sides.

[Martin H]

Bindweed is one of those weeds that you just have to persevere with. The rotavator has made it harder but you can still win eventually.

You've done the right thing by clearing all you can find before planting, but you will always miss some and the shoots will come up through your veggies.

Just make it a regular weekly job to trace each shoot back to ground level and pull it so that the top detaches from the roots. This will set it back a week or two. Don't try and pull the foliage out, you will just damage your crops - leave it there to wither and to remind you there's roots underneath.

When you come to lift the crop, have another go at getting those roots out.

If you've planted permanent stuff like fruit bushes then obviously you won't be lifting the crop and can't really do all that much about the roots. Your choices are then to either carry on separating shoots from roots ("never let it see a Sunday"), which will weaken it over time until it gives up, or to use that brand of systemic weedkiller that probably causes cancer according to the World Health Organisation.

Keep at it, you will win! I'm in my third season now and I only see the occasional sickly wisp of the stuff.

[noviceveggrower]

I have a touch of bindweed at home and at the allotment. The stuff at the allotment is all in the hedges that run around the edge of my plot. So I just pull it out at much as I can to weaken it.
The stuff at home is coming through from 3 gardens away. Again all I can do is try to weaken it as soon as I see it appears.
Think Martin has given good advice to keep weakening it. Just keep at it and you'll soon win the battle with it

[ESBkevin]

We got our plot last year and dug it all slowly removing all trace of the white roots. Whilst that was fairly effective it was not 100%. We have some shooting g up again this year. Keep plodding on. You can use the gel spot weed killer on examples to avoid disturbing crops. Sometimes two applications are required.
Keep on and you will eventually win.

[muddled]

Your choices are then to either carry on separating shoots from roots ("never let it see a Sunday"), which will weaken it over time until it gives up, or to use that brand of systemic weedkiller that probably causes cancer according to the World Health Organisation.

Eloquently put

I am another who detaches shoots from roots.

[Bonsai Si]

If you have plants in the ground, perhaps some weed control fabric covering the ground may help reduce and weaken what is left. Just cut slits in it to allow your crops to poke through and then mulch the top of the fabric with whatever you have to hand.

I was lucky when I took my plot on a few months ago in the fact there was only a small patch of bindweed up at the top and it got nuked 3 or 4 times with weedkiller as I was digging my way from the bottom of the plot upwards. It's not stuck it's head back up yet, I do keep a constant look on that area though everytime I go to the lottie in case it does.

My main issue was with long, well established perennial weeds with roots that were often deeply dug in and prolific. I took as much of the weeds and roots out as I dug up my lottie, now I have crops and trees in the ground some of the buggers are coming back for Round 2. I just ordered 50m of weed control fabric to lay over/around my plants and trees, then I'm going to cover that with cat litter initially and as the season gets on hopefully some bark chippings around the trees and other organic matter around the crops like manure, grass, hay etc.

Hopefully this will keep the growing plots clear of weeds and any that poke through will be easy game. Any seeds of new weeds that get blown into my plot and start growing will be easy to yank out complete as the cat litter gives little for them to get hold of and they just come away without any effort.

Good luck with the plot and do not get mad with the weeds, get even!

[astraman1]

its along battle dont think your going to get it all out this year just keep attacking it can take a few years


shame really for the nuisance it causes it has nice flowers

[TrixC]

Thanks everyone. I'm not philosophically opposed to weedkiller, but in this situation where it's little pieces all over the place it seems like we'd have to use so much to get on top of the problem, so I'd prefer to remove it manually if that's possible. I wasn't sure if I would get anywhere by just removing the tops, so it's good to hear that works eventually.

Went to the lottie this afternoon after being on holiday for a week and was amazed at how much everything has grown - squash plants in particular seem to have quadrupled in size!

[Ding Dang Doo]

I listened to a podcast by the RHS the other day... They get bindweed too, so don't get disheartened!

They just say to nip it off at ground level before it gets established and started to get in your crops.

I pulled a load up today - no doubt it'll be reading its head again this time next week!

[sparrow100]

My new quarter plot has masses of it. I've dug out half of it, and the rest has been covered over with free cardboard boxes for the season just to keep it in check. So far it seems to be working...

[Greenleaves]

I think Martin has said it all in his post, cardboard and weed membrane won't necessarily kill it but will certainly slow it. If you lift the membrane after a few months you will see loads of coiled shoots, just pull them up, if the plant can't see the light the plant can't process the food and the root ( energy store) will get weaker and weaker till it dies.