Comments on Ecological Gardening: Beware the Dreadful Bindweed

Hi Garden Girl, Yes, I agree about the timeline--...

2011-07-14T09:02:38.414-07:00

Hi Garden Girl,

Yes, I agree about the timeline--but then one must continue vigilance, since it can come back at any time. I've never completely finished mine off.

Now that's an aggressive group of plants you've listed. I believe that if you own property, some management is required, even in "natural" areas--I've spent too much time chopping

I've battled bindweed in clients' gardens,...

2011-07-13T21:46:15.387-07:00

I've battled bindweed in clients' gardens, and have found that with weekly inspections and cutting it or pulling it as you described, it takes about three years to stop it from resprouting.

I've never had to deal with it on my property, but it's unfortunately marching this way thanks to neighbors behind us who neglect their property. (along with pokeweed, honeysuckle

Yes, Don, I agree. Usually there's no real sub...

2011-07-12T15:51:12.446-07:00

Yes, Don, I agree. Usually there's no real substitute for pulling.

Hi Thomas,
That sounds like quite a lot. If you're diligent, it should subside somewhat--but unfortunately it never really goes away. I guess a zen attitude is called for.

Bindweed is definitely one of my daily battles. I...

2011-07-12T10:50:31.141-07:00

Bindweed is definitely one of my daily battles. I was looking through pictures of the house when we bought it last fall. One whole side of the house was covered in flowering Bindweed. It explained why I pull up 30-40 seedlings of it a day.

I just pull it as it comes up. Sometimes that weak...

2011-07-11T11:26:01.020-07:00

I just pull it as it comes up. Sometimes that weakens the plant and it goes away. I used to try to burn it out with vinegar, but that wasn't any more effective.

Hi E. E., I like the name "Patterson's Cu...

2011-07-10T06:21:58.272-07:00

Hi E. E., I like the name "Patterson's Curse." It would be interesting to learn the names of these kinds of weeds around the world. I bet they're imaginative. Who was Patterson, I wonder.

I guess every gardener battles at least one monste...

2011-07-09T12:05:54.334-07:00

I guess every gardener battles at least one monster weed. Mine is Patterson's Curse. I can now recognise it from the first innocent looking little rosette of leaves. OUT OUT!!

Hi Jean, Sometimes I think half a gardener's j...

2011-07-09T11:21:35.817-07:00

Hi Jean, Sometimes I think half a gardener's job is educating others! Or trying to, at any rate.

Hi Janet, yes, keep pulling it. Quack grass and creeping Charlie are names that are fairly widespread. Perhaps I should do more weed posts.

Hi Margaretart, sadly, in this case just dreaming.

Fascinating. Sounds destructive enough. But with a...

2011-07-09T09:09:18.127-07:00

Fascinating. Sounds destructive enough. But with all that strength and ability to survive, too bad it can't be tamed in some way for gardeners who have a patch where nothing else will grow. Dreaming, right?

We have a small piece if bindweed poking it's...

2011-07-08T20:59:19.685-07:00

We have a small piece if bindweed poking it's way round and through the fence.from our neighbour's and so far i just pull it out . If it gets any nearer my kiwi fruit growing up the same piece of fence there will be trouble.
I haven't come across quack grass or creeping Charlie. I presume these are local names?

Adrian, I'm not sure which of these species of...

2011-07-08T18:04:21.935-07:00

Adrian, I'm not sure which of these species of Convolvulus I have in my Gettysburg garden (I think arvensis), but my neighbor in the next door townhouse also thinks of it as "that pretty wild morning glory." I haven't been successful in trying to educate her about it (since I grow Ipoema on the fence, I think she thinks I'm just being hysterical), so I just try to police it

Hi Don, Yeah, we have that too (not in my yard, th...

2011-07-08T14:45:52.068-07:00

Hi Don,
Yeah, we have that too (not in my yard, though). I've heard that if you cut Canada thistle down just as it flowers you can reduce it, since it has put so much energy into flowering. What do you do to control it?

Bindweed and Canada thistle are both big problems....

2011-07-08T14:32:07.925-07:00

Bindweed and Canada thistle are both big problems. Fortunately, here I haven't seen bindweed around much. We had bindweed problems at our old home in northwest Ohio. But Canada thistle is a big problem here. Same deal--roots that spread all over and are impossible to dig out.