Kitchen Garden Forum

We have a plot infested with bellbine. rather suspect it came in with horse manure or something. No other plot has it. Any ideas how to eradicate it. New plot holders take over said plot next week. Would like to offer sensible advice.

Do you mean bind weed? I've not heard it called bell bine before. I'm fighting a losing battle in some parts of my garden. If they dig it over they should try to get every bit of root out as even tiny bits will grow. A squirt of poison applied to any new shoots should slow it down but might need repeated applications. I've tried covering it with black plastic but there's usually a bit that starts growing again when you uncover it. I think if you are persistent you can get rid of it eventually. Just don't rotavate it or it will spread it everywhere.

Dear Shallot man,
spray it; nothing else to do. You cannot dig it out in less than a week; not in this heat. Covering takes a year or more and at least it will be dying off as the plot holders come to see it and it won't be spread about the site if they want to be fluffy about getting rid of it. Make sure they know how to get rid of any that will remain properly.

Just one caveat, make sure that you spray VERY early in the morning in still conditions as weed killer can drift horribly in hot weather. Cover any nearby french/runnner bean or potato/tomato crops as they are the most sensitive. Use a very coarse droplet size or a dribble bar if you have one.
Regards Sally Wright.

I thought you wanted advice to pass on to the new plot holders, not to try to eradicate it yourself I one week. Sally's advice on using weed killer is spot on as usual.

When I took over the plot 5 years ago it was awash with bindweed, I dug out bindweed roots by the barrow load, it was like harvesting spaghetti.

There were areas where I did not mind using strong weed killer but I found that the bindweed quite often survived enough to emerge again months later . The most effective way, apart from weedkiller, I have found is constant disturbance of the roots and the labourious task of picking it out .
Areas of the plot that have been constantly dug have become free of bindweed, the area behind the shed which is home to the rhubarb is now the only area that is problematic as the bindweed roots are hardly disturbed.

Follow Sally''s advice, its always sound.

I find digging out the roots is very therapeutic - not in this weather mind! I'll just let it grow and enjoy the flowers but end of season when cooler & moister it will be attacked.

Yep ! should have said bind weed. I put it down to senile decay.

When we got our plot we had a few places were it was growing ,one of the plot owners came along and said don't let that stay once it gets established it's a nightmare to get rid of it , we are constantly pulling bits of it up but it's not been any worse than other weeds apart from in the strawberry bed were it can grow unnoticed for long periods

Shallot Man wrote:Yep ! should have said bind weed. I put it down to senile decay.

Why?
The Royal Horticultural Society lists "Bellbind" as the sole alternative English name for it, see https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=241

Seems Shallot Man is a lot wiser than he thinks, but we really know....well done Old chap....