Underground barrier for bindweed and ivy?

[GlynG]

I’m a fairly novice gardener and want to try reclaim an area that has long been overgrown by ivy and make a bed to grow in. It’s a long thin bed (the only sunny-ish one in our shady garden) bordering neighbours who have a temporary rental and a garden they’re only maintaining with occasional weed sprays.

I’m contemplating digging a trench and putting in a large galvanized steel barrier of maybe 2-4 foot depth buried into the soil, would this stop most of the ivy and bindweed? I expect I’d have to regularly weed our side and what grows up the mesh fence from next door but at least I could prevent continual encroachment by runners.

Would a 2 or 4 foot wide steel barrier be enough to prevent most of the bindweed coming across or would lots of it grow underneath and I go to a lot of effort for no gain? I have read that bindweed roots can grow up to 40 feet down but the plants are fairly small next door so I’m hoping they might not be so deep rooted.

[Cadalot]

Bindweed will find its way through most barriers Here is my plot when I got it and after I cleared the surface ready to start digging



That carpet was under the bindweed, which found its way through it around it and over it, I battle bindweed on a constant basis, I dig out what I can it finds its way through dpc in the brick wall and has also come over the wall in the photograph. I use weed killer on it as it's really the only way to keep in in check.

Give it something to climb and then spray it

[veggiechicken]

Hi Glyn and welcome
It were me, i wouldn't bother. Even if you stopped the roots, the bindweed will still grow over/through that fence, especially if you're on the sunny side.
Remove the ivy now and see what's left. It'll look a lot better then. Keep pulling out the bind weed whenever you spot it. I live with both of them in the garden. Digging a 4' trench is a step too far

[BUFFS]

put up a small upright framework (2-3 canes with some string across to give it something to climb on) and train as many of the bindweed stems up it you can, when you have good leaf cover, rub on the root killing weedkiller on the leaves and let it do its work, you might have to do this 2-3 times but it is a case of perseverance paying off, you will succeed if you keep at it..good luck..

[Scarlet]

I'm with VC ...I live with ivy and bindweed...buffs method for killing of the bindweed works well, you can put the top leaves in little plastic bags and spray into them rather than spraying all over. As for the ivy, if you dig over your ground well it is relatively easy to pull up the creepers that encroach on your side from next door during the growing season.

[burnie]

Welcome Glyn, you didn't say what you'd like to grow, flowers, fruit and veg? For me a raised bed with a weed membrane underneath has prevented anything growing except what I choose to grow. Easier to install too and no digging required again, ever.

[GlynG]

Thanks for your replies all! I'm gardening organically and not going to use weedkillers though. Good point Burnie, I hadn't said what I wanted it for - I'm looking to grow veg there.

I realised there'd be a lot of work involved in digging a 2-4' deep trench but I'd be prepared to do it if it'd mostly solve the problem.

I considered abandoning the existing soil and building a tall raised bed on top with new soil and a weed barrier at the bottom and sides. I worry the bindweed might get through the weed barrier in time though and if I make it up against the fence I won't be able to weed there and there'd constantly be a mass of bindweed /ivy between the back of the wooden bed and the fence which seems problematic.

An alternative option I'm considering is to try a biological control approach and plant a line of Tagetes minutes all down the fence line in the spring to deter the bindweed (and possibly the ivy too) with it's allopathic root secretions. The 4-6' height wouldn't be a problem on that side and it'd provide us a bit more privacy.

I might pull off the ivy off the fence I can reach from our side then stick a big tarp all along the fence (if the neighbours don't object). If I block off any light reaching it from either side that'd weaken any ivy or bindweed trying to grow up it.

I think in any case I'm going to sheet mulch the bed over winter with thick cardboard and more topsoil on top and that'll give me time to decide what to do.

[nickdub]

Hi Glyn,
I've not tried it but I think a 3' vertical steel barrier would be enough to stop most bindweed roots below ground. You'd also need to keep an eye out for any surface roots, but obviously these are easier to spot. If you are using sheet steel then I'd give them at least a 12" overlap as you put them in.

You don't have to worry about ivy roots below ground once they are dug out BTW - as far as I know its purely an above ground spreader, so a trim with a pair of shear every year should hold it in check.

If you do decide to dig a trench, try to put the soil layers back roughly at the same depth as they come out - subsoil is generally very low in fertility.

Good luck with the veg - Nick

[ESBkevin]

You can slow it down greatly and then kill the odd bit that pops up through.

Use the lasagne method of brown corrugated cardboard as the overlapping membrane and as much organic mass as possible under and over the cardboard. Favourite would be strim or chop what there then compost and soil improver on top of whats chopped, then a layer of cardboard, then more organic like wood chips and grass mowings on top of that.

After winter you can plant straight into the mulch and you only have to attend to the odd weeds that poke through. In the main they will easily pu;ll out except your bindweed, for that a dab of that Gel weedkiller you see advertised on TV. It's very specific to the plant you dab it on and will kill bindweed without having a nasty side effect on your vegetables.

So no digging, a healthy soil and the weed situation under control. All you need to do is barrow in the organic material and souce cardboard.

Yes it works.