Help!! New plot full of bindweed!

[Cornish Pixie]

Hi all,
I have just taken over a new plot wich is full of bindweed and bramble not to mention couch grass! I am thinking of using weed killer. How long will it take to be able to replant? There is a lot of bindweed and my neighbours are all complaing about it - I need to get rid of it. Any help please!

[PAULW]

It will take about three weeks for roundup to work but this will kill the roots rather than using something that just burns the top growth and leaves the roots alive,

[Cornish Pixie]

Thankyou paulw! I think round up is the way to go as there is alot of bindweed!

[fishpond]

Round up certainly works well on bindweed. You may need to apply it 2 or three times at approx 3 week intervals for the bw.Then its just the odd bit that keeps popping up for the next few years.
What ever else you do, spray it every time you see it---bw is the only thing I will use weedkiller on.

[Cornish Pixie]

thankyou fishpond!
I agree - I didnt want to use it but I think Im going to have to - It will be the only time I use it on the blinkin stuff!! GGRRRR! hate bindweed! lol

[crazii_c]

how long after applying the weedkiller will you need to wait before planting anything edible in the ground?

[Keith2202]

It sounds just like my plot was when I took it over. I dug it all out rather using weedkiller.
The ground will be riddled with the roots making it very hard to plant stuff in so they will have to be dug out anyway. My attitude was therefore I may as well just do that in the first place. The ground is likely to be compacted if it hasn't been cultivated for a while (mine was anyway) so digging out the roots helped me break it up at the same time.

If the neighbours are so bothered maybe they could offer to help!!!
Or maybe they could have pulled it when the plot was unoccupied instead of letting it get really bad then immediately complaining to the new owner!

[thecornflake]

When applying roundup to bindweed I put a plastic bag over bunched up sections of leaves that I've sprayed and then tie round the bottom to hold the bag in place. I read about it somewhere and it seems to be very effective, I guess because rain can't wash off any weedkiller and it probably intensifies the effects a bit as well. But yes weedkiller is the only way you're going to realistically remove it in a decent amount of time. I only now get odd little bits coming up in my garden (from next door's garden who fail to bother doing anything about it) and I just pinch off the shoots as soon as I see them, this way they never manage to get anywhere and without the leaves the roots can't grow further.

[gojiberry]

I know bind weed is a problem but not one that is insurmountable with time and a bit of graft. I have marestail on my plot and it is not possible to dig it out and is very difficult to kill with weedkillers. I think of the two I would have preferred bindweed. Good luck with getting rid.

Ian

[Cornish Pixie]

thanks to you all for replying. Do I have to wait 6 months before I can replant?