We recently asked Gardeners' World website and magazine readers around the UK to nominate their worst weed. One weed, it seems, crops up everywhere...
We recently asked Gardeners' World website and magazine readers around the UK to nominate their worst weed. One weed, it seems, crops up everywhere, topping the list in many regions: bindweed. (Readers in Scotland and northern England gave 'pride of place' to other weeds - more of which later.)
Why has bindweed become so much of a problem?
Like many, many others, I have some bindweed in my garden. It crept through from a very elderly neighbour's garden some 10 years ago, and is a devil to eradicate. The problem with bindweed is that it gets into flower borders, where its thick white roots mingle with those of perennials and shrubs, making it very, very hard to dig out.
I've tried to remove bindweed, but even the tiniest piece of root left in the soil can sprout a shoot and become a strong new plant. A few years ago, in a desperate effort to get rid of both bindweed and couch grass from the border, I dug out all the plants and virtually sieved the soil clean of every last filament of weed root I could see. It was a lot of work, and has certainly reduced the weed problem, but not got rid of it altogether.
Now I try to carefully study my border every week in search of any sign of these perennial weeds. I trace any shoot I spot down to the soil, then excavate to carefully dig out all of the roots, without breaking any off.
Yes, bindweed is a pretty weed, and I'm sure some people are quite happy to let it grow in the belief that this is really a glorious flowering climber (which it is). The only thing they don't appreciate is that bindweed has a mission … to invade, occupy, and overtake!
Bindweed may look lovely in the countryside, but it's not a garden plant to be encouraged.
And just for the record, the No.1 weed in Scotland is ground elder (with bindweed in 4th place after dandelions and horsetail), and bindweed came 2nd to dandelions in northern England. Full results of our survey of weeds and other garden problems can be found in the August 2009 issue of Gardeners' World Magazine.
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