My husband dug a hole in our yard about 6 feet down...bindweed root goes deeper! This is the first home that I've seen bindweed, and I have tried everything! I mulch routinely...and a lot! Mulch doesn't help. The bindweed works through it just as it works through soil. Bindweed takes on attributes of the plants that it attacks! Sometimes it grows across the ground, like a crab. Other times it grows straight up the plant on one vine. Once the vine gets to the top of the plant, it starts branching out to cover the plant and yank it to the ground! After the first time of my picking the plant at ground level, it grows multiple vines from the one root. My grass is being invaded by the weed. I have a couple of spots on the property that haven't been invaded yet, but I'm waiting. My chicken yard is in one of those spots, near the raspberry patch. I dread when it gets to the raspberries! I haven't had it crawl up tree trunks yet, but it does crawl up the hollyhocks and other tall flowers. Once again, I mulch often, so mulch isn't the answer. Sigh.
I too, have been looking for a way to embrace this weed--but at this point, I can't find a good reason for this killing vine. I understand that it isn't edible for a salad but IS used for medicinal purposes. I have way too much bindweed to make that much medicine!
If anyone learns of anything besides handpulling, which I do, please let me know.
I
