Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is one of the bindweed plants and one of the most feared weed species. There are a few methods to choose from to combat it. Used correctly, you can remove bindweed from the garden again.
In a nutshell
- grows rapidly and is (slightly) poisonous
- without fighting displacement of neighboring plants
- deep roots make permanent removal difficult
- must be completely removed
- various mechanical methods of combat
Why fight bindweed?
Bindweed, also known as windling, devil's gut and field and corn bindweed, has twining shoots. With these, she clasps other plants and takes them completely, causing them to die. Because it grows quickly and is perennial, it can take over the entire garden and doesn't stop at lawns. In addition, although bindweed is only slightly toxic to humans, it can cause symptoms of poisoning in sensitive people. Combatting it is therefore advisable in any case.
Identify bindweed
In order to know whether the following control methods are promising, the plant should first be recognized as a devil's intestine. This succeeds through the appearance and the place where the weeds grow.
Bindweed is easily recognized by the characteristic funnel shape of the flower.
Vegetative features
- Growth height: up to 120 centimeters
- Flowering time: early summer to early autumn
- Flower color: whitish, light pink, strong pink, violet
- funnel-shaped flower shape
- heavily branched, bluntly hexagonal branches
- prostrate or twisting branches
- predominantly grey-green, glabrous leaves
- Leaf shape: oblong-ovate, rounded at the tip
- Taproots (grow "straight" up to two meters deep)
Preferred locations
- dry, warm, alkaline and nutrient-rich soil
- mainly on arable land and fallow land, meadows and in the garden: lawns, paths, rubble areas
- humus-poor clay and loam soils
- prefers sunlight, tolerates partial shade
Remove bindweed
There are a number of ways to get rid of bindweed in the long term.
Dig out completely
The most effective, but potentially the most labor intensive, method of removing bindweed is digging. If you act quickly, you save a lot of effort if the roots are not yet deep in the ground. Since they can reach a depth of up to two meters and break off when pulled out, the worst that can happen is to dig that deep with a spade. It is important here that every root residue, no matter how small, is removed, because the weeds will develop again from it. Digging bindweed out of a lawn is a suboptimal option because it will ruin relatively large areas - possibly the entire lawn, depending on the spread of the bindweed.
When removing, make sure to catch the bindweed completely, including the roots.
When digging, the following details apply:
- best time: on a sunny, windy day (roots die faster in air)
- Tools required: Digging fork, weed puller, fine-mesh sieve, spade for extremely deep roots
- Remove the plant and roots as well and deeply as possible with a weeder
- Dig out about 40 to 50 centimeters of soil with a digging fork
- already picking up bits of root
- Pour the excavated soil through a sieve and remove the smallest bits of root
- extends root deeper, use spade
- After complete removal, refill the sieved soil
- Disposal: always in household rubbish, in bio-waste bins or incinerate, never dispose of plant parts on compost
Tip: If you work with a spade, you should always first work with the digging fork to make sure how wide the root system is. The spade can then be used at a "safe" distance to ensure as best as possible that no roots are severed.
Fight in the lawn
Especially in the lawn, you should regularly look out for the bindweed so that it can be removed as early as possible before the roots reach depth. A weed puller is the ideal and only suitable tool for removing this, although it is usually unavoidable that there will be a root residue in the ground. The following should be done:
- Shorten existing twining shoots to a hand's width and remove the rest
- Grasp the weeds firmly with your hand (do not cut the lawn beforehand, otherwise the holding area will be too small)
- With the other hand, press the weed puller diagonally into the soil close to the main shoot (open side facing the plant)
- Depress handle to lift plant
- if necessary, repeat in several places or completely all around
- pull weeds slightly upwards with a holding hand when lifting
Notice: When removing the bindweed, do not pull too hard or you may tear off the root and then have to dig it out.
Foil Combat
If you want to free an unplanted area from the devil's gut, you can use the foil methods. This is ideal for large vegetable beds in the garden or for new buildings for the forthcoming garden design as part of the soil preparation. By means of foil, the vital factors such as air, light and water are taken away from the weed and every other weed. In addition, in summer there is high heat under the film, which leads to burns and dehydration. they are dying.
Weed fleece or weed control films have proven useful in the fight against field bindweed.
That's how it's done:
- Use black, opaque film
- Alternative: weed fleece
- Dig up the soil and remove loosened weeds
- Place foil over affected area
- weigh down the corners and sides with stones or the like
- Duration of coverage: one to three years
- Caution: Bindweed seeds remain germinable in soil for several years
Tip: Use dense weed control instead of foil, you can at least in beds immediately with the planting start. To do this, cut suitable holes in it and the rest of the fleece is covered with bark mulch or gravel.
new creation
If nothing helps to remove the bindweed or the methods mentioned are not an option for whatever reason, the only solution is to remove and replace the soil with weeds that have grown in it. For a new planting, topsoil should be applied. Here are some tips:
- new topsoil at least 50 centimeters high
- Cover with foil or weed control for a year (fresh topsoil can also contain squids)
- alternatively: apply a thick layer of bark mulch (inhibits weed growth)
frequently asked Questions
Are there chemical agents to combat bindweed?Yes, but you should refrain from using it for health and environmental reasons. From these, so-called herbicides are also banned in numerous federal states, at least for use in the garden. In addition, bindweed has often already developed resistance to various herbicides, making them ineffective.
Can I prevent bindweed from growing?Yes, by regularly scarifying and fertilizing your lawns with nitrogen, thereby strengthening them and creating suboptimal soil for weed bindweed. Rake beds at short intervals from June and remove roots. Mulch soil frequently so that weeds do not receive light and are prevented from growing.
Is it true that salt helps against field bindweed?Yes, but you should definitely not consider using it. Salt draws moisture from the roots and creates an acidic pH. However, the salt content usually extends far into the earth's width and can "contaminate" a few cubic meters. Microorganisms can also die off, such as perennials at a distance of two meters. It takes a long time for the soil to regenerate to plant new plants. Therefore: never bring salt into the ground.