Weeds and hedges

[Georgina]

I have a very long laurel hedge which appears to be covered with what I think is bindweed.  They are very stringy and heart shaped leaves.  I have some weedkiller for this but I don't know if it will damage my hedge as it does not say anything about hedges as it could be just for grass.  Any ideas?  Could this kill my hedge (the bindweed) I mean.

[Framboise]

Don't think bindweed will actually kill the laurel off 'cos its a tough old shrub, but its just unsightly really.   Like its sister plant the convulvulus, bindweed runs amok in no time so again, its a case of ripping it out at the root if you really want rid of the stuff, the more of the roots you get out so much the better. Of course a dousing with Roundup(a systemic weedkiller) will kill off the bindweed above ground quite nicely, but the roots are a major problem so I think its another case of  on your hands'n knees to remove the stuff manually.  Unfortunately.!

[hoverfrog]

what you could do is make up some systemic weedkiller and very carefully paint it onto some of the bindweed leaves with a paintbrush, being carefull not to drip.

Alternatively you can put some in a jam-jar and leave part of the weed dipped in it for a few days.

Painting is better when there are lots of individual roots though!

[Danny]

I think we get a lot of bindweed here and if it is indeed the same thing then it is the easiest of weeds to pull out. It always looks quite daunting as it really takes over, but as it's so velcro-sticky I find that if you start pulling a bit out it comes away, roots and all. It doesn't wrap itself around other plants so doesn't damage them as you pull. Before you resort to weed killer, have a try and see, preferably after a bit of rain has softened the ground (shouldn't have to wait too long if our weather is much to go by at the moment!). If you have long hair tie it up - last year I got loads of the sticky-burr seeds in mine and it took forever to get them out - the cats are always covered in them too! Oh, and wear gloves - the stickyness seems to be a skin irritant too. I doubt the bindweed would kill the hedge if you left it but you would probably never see the original hedge again!

Jane

[Framboise]

The sticky burr things you refer to are what I think are called "Cleavers" here in UK.  Nature's very own Velcro.  I don't have a clue what they are in French but in whatever language they do attach themselves to everything.   (I have to untangle them from my redcurrant bushes, then my hair, gardening gloves etc).

Bindweed grow on a long flexible stem with pretty pink & white stripey trumpet flowers and dainty heart shaped leaves. Its quite apretty little flower really but it overtakes everything given half a chance. Convulvulus are the bigger and more rampant relative.  These have the same sort of leaves and stem, but the flower is a big white trumpet which, if you open it out, you will find lots of horrid bugs living amongst the stamen.  Yuk.  Of course as its a much bigger plant it romps all over the host, with sturdy vines it will strangle the life out of the victim and although it won't kill, it will certainly inhibit the growth of whatever it has invaded.    Again, you gotta wrench these out too because they seed prolifically.

[trumpet]

  Cleavers:- Beggar's lice, Catchweed Bedstraw, Cleaverwort, Everlasting Friendship, Goose grass, Grip Grass, Scratch grass, Stick-a-back, Sticky Willie, Scarthgrass, Sticky-willy, White Hedge.

Hedge Bindweed:-

Scientific Names :Calystegia sepium syn. Convolvulus sepium
Other names: Bearbind, Bellbine, Devil's Guts, Hedge-Bell, Hell Weed, Withybind
Family: Convolvulaceae

 

[Framboise]

Blimey!   One simple weed with a list of aliases.

[Georgina]

Thanks everyone, I shall try the weedkiller on it then.  The weedkiller I have is specifically for that, but it says fruit trees and the like so I assume hedges will be okay.

Georgina

[hoverfrog]

weedkillers that you can use on fruit trees and the like act on green leaves, as the bark does not absorb it like the leaves do.

Gon't go spraying it over the leaves of your hedge or you could soon be hedgeless!

[Danny]

It seems you have your heart set on weed killer - have you actually tried pulling them up first? You could chuck them in the composter and turn them into something useful - surely that's preferable to zapping them? If you are really concerned about the effect of the weedkiller on your hedge then search for the ingredients/brand name on line and somewhere you will find a list of things it will kill and things it won't - no one here can tell you for sure it won't kill your hedge without more details of the product you have chosen to purchase.

Jane

[Russethouse]

I think a systemic is best, you could pull out as much as you can and then use systemic on it as new shoots emerge (they will !)

Bindweed is a job for life.....

 

[toots]

Bindweed is a job for life.....

Tell me about it, we took over an allotment in November 2006, we had it ploughed and harrowed which, of course, brought all the weeds in christendom to the surface, I have fought a running battle with bind week and brambles, mustard and various other weeds ever since.

I have just spent an hour this morning digging a small bed and removing the roots of the bindweed and brambles, fortunately the recent rain has meant that the weeds pull our fairly easily, but they are a pain in the butt........I have tried most of the well know weed killers, none have really done any good, the only cure in my view is dig it out, I find that eventually it weakens but it can pop up in the most unexpected places...........