Bindweed problem!!

[goodlife]

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the roots need to be burnt - not composted. The roots actually dry out quite easily and quickly..I leave mine on path and once they've totally dried out I sweep ("cough"..shove with boot) them back on bed and they'll just disappear naturally.

[goodlife]

[Unwashed]

Like goodlife, I find there's no life left in the roots after a couple of days in the sun.  Other than doc roots I haven't found anything that survives a good baking in the sun, though it's a different story if it's damp.

[caroline7758]

I don't think anyone has mentioned (perhaps it's so obvious there's no need) but the roots need to be burnt - not composted.

Or dried/drowned and then composted if you want to get something back from the nasties!

[gp.girl]

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the roots need to be burnt - not composted. The roots actually dry out quite easily and quickly..I leave mine on path and once they've totally dried out I sweep ("cough"..shove with boot) them back on bed and they'll just disappear naturally.

This works for me too although a dalek composter will kill the b*ggers too.

You can make bindweed tea the same as comfrey tea, unfortunately there's no known use for couch grass :)
 
Fruit bush area is weed infested so trying 3 layers of cardboard and 6 inches of straw which is stopping most of the bindweed, hogweed, couch grass, dock and autumn raspberries ::) It might not kill them but they won't get any worse and the soil is lovely and moist.

Winning the war at the moment although the weeds will never surrender  >:(

[pigeonseed]

unfortunately there's no known use for couch grass

Apart from composting of course. It does make a nice mushroomy smelling compost. It takes a while though. And has to be covered over or very dry, otherwise it creates a green hummock out of the compost pile! On our site, one of the communal composting bays has turned into a small grassy knoll...  ::)

I don't put the bindweed roots into the normal compost, but I do add them to my heaps which are covered in tarpaulin. That's where I put all the naughty weeds till they learn who's boss.

[lincsyokel2]

one of the communal composting bays has turned into a small grassy knoll..

So wearing a bullet proof jacket and helmet, and not being called 'Kennedy' is wise?

[antipodes]

Just keep pulling it out where you see it. It gets on the edges of the paths I have noticed. It never really goes away, someteimes I just have a bindeweed session of about 45 minutes where I get a big bucket and just weed out all the bindweed.

[Hi_Hoe]

Hi josh - nice to see people local to m are on here too! (Kimberworth!!)

As for your bindweed, i found that glysophate works but its only temporary and localised - It'll just poke its head up somewhere else!! Also,, id be worried about planting into ground where glyphosate has been previously.? (my opinion on ly...)

Like you, i had sh**loads o' the cowing stuff and it can be disheartening to think your efforts are wasted, but please do persevere! In my opinion the only way to get rid is to dig. Then dig some more. Then after that - dig again!!! My bindweed problem is still there to a small degree but has lessened over the past 18mths.

I now use raised beds which can help to concentrate your time on the most important thing which is keeping the veg weed free - as for paths they get weeded when they can! (even from under black sheet and bark chippings, the cow still pops up at the edges! Now i  try to just pull it to weaken it and hope for' best!)

You didnt think an allotment would be easy did you?!  ;D

Best o luck, neighbour!

[landimad]

Like any weed, Just keep on digging them out.