Although very pretty, the field bindweed (A convolvulus of the garden) – from the family of Convolvulaceae – is not to the taste of all gardeners because it is very invasive. Same for the hedge bindweed (Calystegia of hedges). Bindweeds are capable of smothering the plants around which they coil tirelessly and they exert severe competition. Fortunately, there are natural solutions to get rid of Bindweed (almost) permanently.
Deprive the Bindweed of light to eradicate it
Without light, this plant eventually withers. We can therefore cover Bindweed’s feet with opaque boxes that filter not only light but also heat. This is only possible to fight against a few specimens of course. But in an area of the garden particularly invaded by Bindweed, the use of cans does not really make sense.
We then deposit a tarpaulin plastic in black color, well opaque most water permeable, burying its edges in the earth. This canvas must remain perfectly in place long enough to obtain a good result. This method, which has amply proved its worth and which is called the solarisation requires a lot of patience because Bindweed only exhausts its reserves after 1 ½ to 2 years.
Sow green manure
Clover, rye, mustard, marigolds, oats, alfalfa, vetches are all plants that can constitute a green manure capable of limit the development of Bindweed. The good idea is to opt for a mixture of seeds to sow in order to obtain a cleansing culture. The reason is simple: these plants have a particularly developed root system which competes with that of Bindweed and many other weeds. So do not hesitate to sow a green manure on an area that will later be cultivated.
plant potatoes
After growing a green manure, many gardeners decide to grow potatoes before planting or sowing different vegetables in an area of their vegetable garden. The goal is to clean the floor because while developing, the tubers work the soil in depth and the leaves constitute an effective cover of the soil. We can therefore say that the cultivation of potatoes considerably slows down the regrowth of Bindweed.
Mulching
It is much easier to get rid of Bindweed on covered ground than on bare ground. For example, you can make a addition of compost end of September or beginning of October then cover the plot with a thick mulch of tough leaves or straw, rich in carbon, which allowsbalance the ground. You can also opt for a good layer of shredded pruning. Mulching is a good solution to limit the growth of Bindweed but also to slow down the appearance of many other wild weeds that are not always desired.
Opt for subsoiling
It is a technique adopted by farmers which can render many services to gardeners possessing a very large area of land to cultivate where Bindweed is particularly invasive. As this plant has rhizomes capable of sinking very deeply into packed soil, the aim of the operation is therefore to loosen the soil and subsoil. To do this we use a tractor and a subsoiler. It is essential to multiply the passages to overcome Bindweed. The technique of subsoiling cannot therefore be used in a small garden of course.
Get rid of bindweed permanently: 3 mistakes to avoid
To get rid of Bindweed, you don’t necessarily have to follow just any advice found on the Internet. Some mistakes should be avoided.
1time mistake: use white vinegar
Vinegar tends to kill the plant on which it is poured, but unfortunately it attacks living organismsand he changes the nature of the soil. By dint of resorting to it, the consequences end up being harmful.
2th error: return the earth
Contrary to what one might think, Bindweed does not really capitulate following hoeing or weeding sessions. It does not yield more to the use of a tiller, quite the contrary. These gardening works that allow the earth to be turned over promote the proliferation of Bindweed since each stroke of the hoe or strawberry cuts its root system. These are all pieces of rhizomes which will then develop, forming a multitude of new Bindweed plants.
On the other hand, it is quite possible to dislodge this tough plant with a grelinette-type toothed tool that lifts the soil without turning it over.
3th mistake: treat the garden with an anti-bindweed
It’s a bad idea because the use of a weed killer is dangerous for the environment. In addition, no chemical treatment against Bindweed is very effective.
Persevere to get rid of Bindweed
Bindweed multiplies easily, either by dissemination of its seedseither by section of its roots when the environment is conducive to its development. It is therefore necessary to get rid of it at all costs because in addition to smothering neighboring plants, it captures a lot of nutrients in the soil as well as light and water. The best way to prevent Bindweed from settling in the garden is to prevent it from rising to seed.
We have no choice but tomanually tear as soon as it appears, taking great care not to fragment its roots. You have to go and find them deep in the ground, with a gouge for example, first at the beginning of spring, then over the seasons, as soon as regrowth occurs. For it to be truly effective, the uprooting of a Bindweed plant must in fact be carried out several times in order toexhaust the plant. This can be overcome without any chemicals, but it takes time. Note that to get rid of it in the garden path, the use of a thermal weeder is possible.
But bindweed lovers can be reassured, there are non-invasive species that can be cultivated at leisure to line a fence, vegetate an old wall or a pergola. This is for example the case of the famous morning glory (ipomea indica) which is none other than the magnificent Blue Bindweed.