There are other ways of getting rid of it even though it may be abhorrent to you.
Hi JohnBoy
I did a lot of research on bindweed and there seemed to be three recurring ways gardeners and allotment holders managed to weaken and kill it...
1. Glyphosate
2. cover it for at least a year
3. every time it pokes it head above the soil - carefully dig it out
I've learned that these three things on their own - don't work. But all three together give you the upper hand.
I'm not averse to chemicals in moderation - so I did use glyphosate first. This takes a good 30 days to have any effect and as Peter mentioned it has to be done when it is growing - so that the glyphsate is fully absorbed and kills the roots.
Once it was brown and crispy (a beautiful sight!) - I started digging. Most of the root was brown and dead - but some was definitely still white and alive. This was carefully removed and burned - never put it on the compost heap.
Then finally I covered over the ground with a weed supressing membrane. This stopped any weed seeds getting a foothold in the freshly turned soil - but also any bindweed that emerged would be leggy, weak and easy to get out. interestingly mainly thistles emerged under the membrane. But thanks to the rain the soil was soft and their taproots easy to remove.
Every so often I spot a new bindweed plant - and use the roundup gel on it - so as not to kill the plants I want to keep.
I haven't won the war yet - and I think I probably never will. But, at least I feel a bit more in control.
