Barrier between bindweed and flower bed?

[vikkib]

Not sure if this is the right place for this!

I'm looking at turning a bit of our grass (I'll not pretend it's a lawn!) which runs along a fence between our garden and next doors into a bed for some shrubs and flowers.

The problem is there is bindweed coming up behind the gravel boards of the fence from next door and I can't dig out the roots as they're not in my garden!

I'm tempted to grow the bindweed up canes and then spray before I put the new bed in but I'm not pretending this will kill the whole lot next door as there's loads of it.

Is there a something that would work as a barrier to stop the bindweed coming up into the new bed but will still allow the plants to draw water from the ground to cut down on watering?

[Two_Sheds]

Not really. Bindweed is very deep rooting (unlike couch grass, which tends to be just a few inches below the surface). You'd need a barrier at least 3ft deep.

I too have bindweed coming in from next door's garden. All I can do is keep digging/pulling it as it appears, but that doesn't eradicate it.

I have, in desperation, grown it up canes as you suggest. Wait until you've got a few feet of green growth, then take the cane out and dip the plant in a bath of glypho. It's better than spraying, which goes everywhere.

[vikkib]

Not really. Bindweed is very deep rooting (unlike couch grass, which tends to be just a few inches below the surface). You'd need a barrier at least 3ft deep.

I too have bindweed coming in from next door's garden. All I can do is keep digging/pulling it as it appears, but that doesn't eradicate it.

I have, in desperation, grown it up canes as you suggest. Wait until you've got a few feet of green growth, then take the cane out and dip the plant in a bath of glypho. It's better than spraying, which goes everywhere.

Thanks TS. I had a horrible feeling that may be case!

A plot neighbour also suggested the bag o' glysophate today too so I'll go down that route.

At least now I can stop pondering that and concentrate on the more fun task of planning what plants I'd like to have! : )

[WendyC]

Could you ask your neighbour to tackle it or allow you access to spray/dip?

[salome2001]

Could you ask your neighbour to tackle it or allow you access to spray/dip?

Wendy, you are an optimist!!!

[Chuffedas]

Hi,
I have the same problem except when i started to attack it, it was already all over the garden.
I am using roundup gel which apparently takes the poison to the roots.
I am slowly backing it into a corner where it is originating from under a neighbours shed i think.
I reckon if i keep at it it should kill it off eventually?

[Chuffedas]

OK, the round up gel seems to have worked, i kept at it.
I diligently did it every two weeks on every leaf i could find.
(I also started this last year)
By the end of the season, there was nothing coming in from my neighbours side.

[Martin H]

Well done!

Don't relax though - keep an eagle eye open for it in April...

[Snadger]

As long as you can afford to lose a foot of garden along the fenceline you could use a sprinkling of rocksalt (as used for clearing snow and ice) Nothing will grow where you've put it though as it acts like a residual weedkiller.

[george356]

Snadge, I am waiting until my local cheapo supermarkets (Aldi/Lidl) gear up for the winter. I am going to buy 10 bags of their rock salt to use during the summer as 'slug deterrent'

As you know, I have a neighbour problem too, he likes the "wildflower garden" look, in reality it is the jungle look. There is so much dead vegetation on his side of the shared fence that the slugs and snails are invading like the visigoth hordes. My plan is to use a 40 litre trug and mix up a salt solution with boiling water, then dribble it through a weeper hose slid down to ground level on my side of the fence. I will keep this up throughout the next summer. I hope that this will create a no-mans-land barrier between our properties.

[Two_Sheds]

the round up gel seems to have worked, i kept at it.
I diligently did it every two weeks

If you cut or pull every piece as it appears, that will weaken it too.
My bindweed problem is much better than it used to be: the neighbour now has carpet on his path, which is where the bindweed comes from. I just hoe off every bit as I find it (and chuck it on the beds as mulch)

Don't relax though - keep an eagle eye open for it in April...

... because it spreads by seed as well as by root

I am going to buy 10 bags of their rock salt to use during the summer as 'slug deterrent'

be very careful: salt kills every plant it touches