Re: Convolvulus arvensis -- oh lucky day!

Susannah wrote:

We moved to a new house this summer, partly for increased garden space. Got a great bargain -- and about a 10 by 15 meter patch of bindweed. I thought that, for the first time in my gardening life, I might do something non-organic. I guess I should have investigated this further before purchasing, because now that it's winter and I have time to look things up on the net I see that apparently even herbicides don't work on this stuff.
Actually there is one which is effective and that it Dicamba (which has been sold here as Woody Weedkiller). On certainly needs to be pretty careful with it though as it will kill just about anything else as well. The safest way to use it is to unwind shoots and immerse the tips in a bottle or can containing a solution of it. This must be arranged so it cannot fall over and spill the stuff on the ground. In a few days it will translocate into the root and kill it. I have also seen someone succeed with a double strength Roundup solution use in a similar manner.


Has anyone had any success with any technique at all? Hand-digging seems utterly impractical. I've tried black plastic before, with no success after three years of continuous coverage.
I can confirm it is untrouble by plastic, as it simply spreads out further until it can get its head up again.

I'm considering
having a guy with a backhoe dig up the soil in that area and take it away to use for fill (hopefully somewhere very deep, and under a concrete slab). This could be expensive, though.
It really might be worth considering the replacement idea before it spreads any further or you could end up with the entire garden infested. Before any new soil was brought in though I would myself spend several months watching for any shoots from the odd plant which had burrowed in extra deep and still had roots there, and which maybe one could get out by hand digging.

I have alas got its close relative the great bindweed in an established mixed border and not wanting to remove everything am at present trying digging out what I can reach and then watching for any new shoot which comes up and attacking this with a safe organic contact weedkiller which will not harm the other plants or the soil. Only problem about this is it is not much translocated, so may take several goes to be effective. One article I saw in a local gardening magazine claimed the author had actually got rid of her convolvulus by simply applying vinegar, but I do wonder if this was not a slight exaggeration.

I did make a start with Dicamba several years ago but had to desist when despite all precautions several roses planted in the border began to look very poorly, and took best part of a year to recover. I really doubt if any inorganic weedkiller can ever be trusted!

just one other possibility. If your climate is suitable and there are no valuable plants in the area what about trying soil sterilization by insolation next summer? Only thing is I wonder if one could go deep enough with this treatment.

Moira

--
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ. Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm

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