Changes on my remaining plot

[lottie dolly]

A few years ago i changed to raised beds down the plots and at home,the home ones work well,and will add more as i get my patch back ,but after a long thought i have decided that the lottie ones have to go,these have not done good in the long term,the problem is the bind weed,i have to make big changes down there for the future ,on removing the beds,to my horror i have come to the conclusion that they have actually encouraged the roots of the bind weed,it's like spaghetti highway,not only under the plastic grass,but it's mostly wraped around the inside of the wooden beds,what evil stuff it is,so am going back to open ground again,i have a walk in caged area for brassicas,plus a good sized glass house,so am hopeing the open space will be that much better for me now,easier to dig stuff out,plus cannot think just now what will benefit from a cover,that will not be in the brassica cage,i can just mark an area with string and canes so i know where seeds are planted,just until they are germinated and strong plants,i have also got to cut down on what i grow,what do you think,has anyone else noticed that about bind weed,it will be to easy to just walk away,mr has been consulted all the way,even he wants me to keep it on,yes i do have some growing space at home,but it's nice to have a day place to go and chill out,plus our shed has facilities to suit ,thanks for looking

[Thelma Sanders]

I got rid of all but a few of my raised beds because of the bindweed, 'orrible stuff.
I started of with beds and weed control fabric paths, and the roots were almost finger thick under that after a couple of years OMG.
I had bare paths for a couple of years whilst trying to get rid - but in the end got rid of most of the wood surrounds as well.

[Snoop Puss]

Interesting read. Thanks for posting, LD and TS.

I don't have raised beds with a wooden surround. What I've done essentially is rake earth up from the paths and the worst of the clay clods in the middle of the beds to form low walls around the edges (maybe only a couple of inches high). This makes the way I manage my plot easier, as solid walls would be an impediment. I also have bare paths.

I too have a lot of problems with bindweed: it's everywhere, but none of the roots are as bad as you both report. Next year I'm going back to mulching heavily, but with hay, not plastic or fabric. I'm hoping that simply by keeping light levels down and pulling away at the bits that reappear, I'll be able to keep it under better control. I've learned to live with it now. Even the onions seem able to cope with the levels I've got it down to.

Edited to add: Best of luck, LD, with your remaining plot. Lots of hugs to you both (you and Mr LD that is, not you and your plot!).

[Jungle Jane]

Has anyone tried growing pumpkins over the worst of the bindweed area,I was reading it's supposed to out compete the bindweed & shade it all out,weaken the growth of it,might be worth a try?

[lottie dolly]

Thankyou all,Snoop a few years ago i used hay on another plot,between potato plants,it did keep all but the tall strong growers out,and kept damp in,and what likes the damp hehehe,i also tryed a small area with potatoes on ground topped with hay,those were on the small size,i wondered if it was the ground it's self,unfortunatly,it affected my chest so no more,it did not rot down like i thought,and had to rake it up and compost it,what a game,it's always worth a try,i have the eldest son coming to help next week for a few days,we hope to lick it all into shape,

JJ not tried the the pumkins,it seems like nothing will stop the stuff,the roots seem to grow stronger the more covered space they have,then emerge where open ground and light are,with a good strong root system in place,2 sheds on here said to put a cane in the ground,let climb up,then treat the foliage,i know next year is all out war with the stuff.

[Snoop Puss]

I don't grow pumpkins, just squash and melons. It's rife in those beds too. As there's sufficient light in the early part of the season, it just gets going and then uses the squash and melon vines to cling onto. I suspect that because you can break off the roots quite a long way down (all the way down is nigh-on impossible!) but it still keeps coming back, you have to cut the light for a very long time before it makes any difference. But it's a good idea. I might try trailing nasturtiums on top of the hay as another layer. Might do a good job of keeping the hay in place on windy days as well.

[Snadger]

As has already been mentioned you can still have beds that don't need to have raised edges. That's my preference because it always looks like you have accomplished something when a bed is planted up or prepared.

[Speed Gardener]

I too have big problems with bindweed, mainly due to the fact that I have a lot of permanent planting, i.e.fruit bushes.The only thing I can do is place large cardboard collars under the bushes to stop it getting hold of any thing, and then use a sickle to slice through anything that gets through and tries to reach the low hanging branches. You're right about the roots under cover though, I just dug out a bush that had had weed control fabric round it and the bindweed roots were finger thick. It truly is the Weed of the Devil.

[mothhawk]

Mexican marigold is supposed to really knock back some perennial weeds including bindweed and ground elder. Might be worth a try.

https://www.sarahraven.com/flowers/s...tes_minuta.htm