Combat Bindweed – Types of Bindweed, Calystegia

There are many different winds. Some garden lovers find the plants beautiful and enjoy them, while others call them weeds and fight them. Within the genus of morning glory 150 to 250 species are distinguished.

• Field bindweed – widespread in Europe, delicate, 4 to 5 cm large funnel-shaped flowers in pale pink or bluish tinges, flowers between April and October, perennial, drought plant, medicinal plant, bee pasture, good for butterflies, bees and beetles
• Beach bindweed – perennial plant, prostrate stems up to 60 cm long, grows near the sea, pink, white, very decorative flowers
• Morning Glory/Morning Glory – forms meter-long shoots and grows into tall trees, flowers in the shape of funnels or bells, colors from violet and pink to white and yellow, come from the tropics and are cultivated here every year
• Morning glory – annual morning glory, large light blue flowers and heart-shaped leaves, popular ornamental plant, 2 to 3 m tall, flowers July to October, not hardy, but very decorative
• Spring bindweed – belongs to the morning glories, bright red flowers in the shape of a five-pointed star, archetype, grows up to 3 m high, flowers from early summer to the beginning of autumn, comes from tropical areas, not hardy, can be easily grown by sowing
• Cardinal Morning Glory – annual climber, small red flowers, large leaves, blooms June to October, not hardy, grows 2.5 m tall, easily grown from seed
• Marshmallow-leaved Morning Glory – prostrate or twining shoots up to a meter long, deep pink funnel-shaped flowers, flowering from April to July, Mediterranean species, thrives in the Mediterranean area and on dry cultivated and fallow land
• Boissier morning glory – cushion-forming espalier shrub, only 2 to 10 cm high, white to red flowers, small funnels, flowers from June to August, occurs in southern Spain, groundcover
• Flowering Morning Glories – tall shrub, 2 to 4 m tall, upright and arching branches, large terminal inflorescences in white or pink, flowering February to June, grows in the Canary Islands
• Olive-leaved Morning Glory – Perennial herbaceous plant, 20 to 40 cm tall, pink flowers between March and June, thrives in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Cyprus and Turkey
• Creeping bindweed or Blue Mauritius – dwarf shrub or a perennial herbaceous plant, height of growth between 10 and 50 cm, popular balcony and container plant, pink (rarely) to blue flowers, flowering period from May to October, not hardy
• Oriental purging morning glory – perennial plant, stems up to 75 cm long, light yellow flowers, occurs in Crimea, the East Aegean Islands, Syria and Iraq, the milky sap is used as a laxative
• Tricolor morning glory – annual plant, 15 to 50 cm high, blue flowers with a yellow-white centre, very decorative, flowering period from June to September, used as an ornamental plant, some varieties also with a white, violet, pink and dark blue crown

Fight bindweed

Although the bindweed doesn’t look ugly at all, nobody likes having them in the garden. This perennial weed spreads enormously and simply overgrows other plants, which then usually do not survive. The plants are not so easy to remove, because they form meter-long roots, from which they sprout again and again. So what are the options for eradicating this pest in the garden?

Dig out

Digging up the plant is usually an undertaking that is not crowned with success. The roots grow so deep that you may have to go several meters into the ground. They also drive innumerable offshoots and form the finest thread roots. As long as the smallest tip of the root survives, the wind can drive out of it again.

• Do not dispose of the root parts found when digging up in the compost, because even then they will sprout again.
• Be careful not to split the roots. Any part left in the bed will sprout again.
• It is best to sift through the soil.
• Use weed puller

cover of the bed areas

Covering the entire area with weed fleece is ideal for anyone who wants to lay out a bed or a new garden that has previously had vine bindweed. Every little spot needs to be covered. No light must reach the roots.

• Coverage for at least 1 year
• It must be absolutely lightproof
• It is best to use the thick black foil, if necessary also pond foil
• Dig up the entire area before covering
• Remove all visible weeds and roots
• Cover a large area with foil
• Spread bark mulch on it so that the film holds and stays in place.
• Alternatively, it can also be weighed down with stones.

This method is effective. However, she also has a catch. If seeds are in the ground, they can sprout after removing the cover. They remain viable for years.

wear down fence bindweed

Simply cut off everything above ground that shows new growth. You have to be persistent and stay on the ball, but this measure weakens the winds. The growth is curbed, at some point the plant gives up.

Mulching
Unfortunately, mulching does not help at all, even with a thick layer of mulch, the fence winches break through again and again.

Drive
away Marigold plants are said to drive binding bindweed into flight. They should be planted close to the morning glory and if possible a few, not just a single one. I can only reproduce here what I read during the research, I haven’t tried it myself yet.

Weed killer – with chemicals against the bindweed

If the bindweed does not want to go at all, you can also try to solve the problem with chemicals. This way should always be the last. Herbicides have the advantage that individual weeds can be combated in a very specific way. This is beneficial if they grow between other plants that should not be endangered.

• A very special herbicide is used, specially formulated for this plant (binary bindweed).
• Each individual plant is sprayed or even better dabbed with it, because then you can completely ignore the surrounding plants. This is not always possible when spraying.
• Bindweed absorbs the poison through the leaves.
• It spreads throughout the plant.
• She dies.
• To prevent poison from getting onto the ground and being able to penetrate, the ground should be covered beforehand.

It is important with this type of combat that you remove a large part of the long winds beforehand. A lot of poison would be needed for the large leaf mass, which is quite unnecessary. Fewer plants available means less poison has to be used. In addition, you should not pull out the plant immediately when the first signs of decay appear. The poison needs time to penetrate to the last root tips and kill them. If the winch is pulled too early, parts of the root tear off and can sprout again because they are non-toxic.

Herbicides containing glyphosate work best. The best known remedy is probably Scott’s Celaflor Roundup.

• Roundup weed-free Alphee – ready-to-use mixture, works reliably and root-deep, 1 liter is sufficient for up to 800 plants, combats almost all weeds, leaf effect and root-deep effect, also suitable for killing lawns and weeds to facilitate new sowing, not dangerous to bees, subject to approval on paths and places
• Weed-free keepers from Bayer Garten – against weeds and grass weeds, has a broad spectrum of activity, extends from above-ground parts of the plant deep into the roots, can be used throughout the entire growing season, also approved for fruit cultivation, not harmful to bees, active substance: glyphosate isopropylamine salt, application is Approval required for paths and squares

The use of both means is controversial. There are many supporters, but also many opponents. The fact is that Roundup in particular has been used in agriculture for decades. There have already been one or two difficulties. Numerous resistances have also developed. The means are not without. Without wanting to judge here, I don’t use these powerful poisons and never will. I am for manual weeding. As long as it works without toxins, I’m in. We have already damaged the environment enough. They can’t be as harmless as the means are always made out to be, anyone who wants to believe that, I don’t.

Chemicals are not a panacea either. On the one hand, the bindweed is very tough and really difficult to kill, even with poison, and on the other hand, the plants also like to develop resistance. In any case, it is always important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not dose too high!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can bindweed be fought with salt, vinegar or boiling water?
This only makes sense for young plants that have not yet formed a large rootstock. They can best be doused with boiling water. However, this must penetrate deep to get the entire root. So it’s best to go to war with the kettle as soon as another shoot has been discovered. Salt and vinegar can also be used, but they have side effects and can get into the groundwater. Why should you use these remedies, which are often praised as old household remedies, when boiling water will do the trick. This doesn’t harm anyone except the weeds, unless other plants are close by. Vinegar and salt also damage them.

Isn’t there a way to use a poison without harming the environment or neighboring plants?
I liked one idea. The shoot and the leaves were stuffed into a large bottle or glass and the poison was put in there. So it had no contact outside of the vessel. Of course, the agent penetrates into the roots and they are in the ground, but you can minimize the danger that way. However, if you have many bindweed plants, it is a lot of work and you also need a lot of resources. That’s in the money. I’m still for the covering or the constant pulling out of the ground.