I haven't
been keeping up with the bindweed conversation as it no longer is much of a
problem for me. Since the conversation is still happening, I thought I would
share how I resolved the bindweed issue on my ž acre garden.
Bindweed came when I imported mushroom compost into
my yard (before I knew about permaculture) and yes it was for a dastardly lawn!!!!!!
(which has since been mulched). It had spread through out my entire garden. I sheet mulched it with cardboard and
newspaper in the spring. By the time it emerges mid summer, most of the oomph
is taken out of it and it becomes a nice green ground cover and doesn't have
enough energy to twine up the plants. Other places it has been shaded out. I
have never seen it grow vigorously under plants like comfrey and rhubarb. It also prefers compacted soil
(according to an article I read about it). Once the soil is cushy and soft, it
is easy to pull. Digging & cultivating also propagates it. We don’t' dig we
only fork which lifts the roots out better. I'm sure once it's there it will
always be there but permaculture gardening methods seem to minimize maintenance
and I don't consider it a "problem" any more. I also feed it to my
chickens and they seem to like it. Geese will also eat it.
Good luck!
Penny
-----Original
Message-----
From: mbgrey
[mailto:MBGREY@mnp.net]
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2000 4:25
AM
To: permaculture
Subject: Re: Bind weed
It invaded in
a very small strawberry patch. I covered the whole area with black plastic
about two weeks ago. The bindweed is creeping up through edges.
--
Marty Grey
Meadow Medicinals
11795 State Route 78
Caldwell, OH 43724
MBGREY@mnp.net
From: "Mike Skinner (Easy
Hay)" <EasyHay@arn.net>
Reply-To: "permaculture"
<permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 15:29:21
-0500
To: "permaculture"
<permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: RE: Bind weed
Arina saidŠ.
I heard of a BD approach, that sounded this way:
3 consecutive years of pumpkins will smother the bindweed. Well, here we also
have the ferocious squash bug that will destroy all the pumpkins.
But once we move in our new
house, that is choked by the bindweed from 3 sides, even some is growing up the
drain inside the house, I will try a lot of biomass and pumpkins.
Mike said:
In exasperaton, I ve tried to figure what niche
bindweed was filling. To me it seems,
that being deep-rooted, it is breaking the hard pan, bringing up nutrients, as
well
as keeping the ground from blowing as a result of clean farming or heavy
grazing.
So, by my thinking, if we stopped making hard pan, possibly deep ripped, return
tilth, (like green manure Austrian Winter Peas), and leave cover on the ground,
we
might help Mother Nature, the same way bindweed does.
Arina said:
I think this approach may also help with the thistle - to plant deep rooted
plants that will break the soil. The bindweed, though has a different kind of
root, not the tap, but more runner type. It seems to be intimidated by a good
stand of red clover - still grows, but more modest looking, and less brutal.
Mikešs new thought:
Arina, But, then, red
clover might be pernicious. I wonder if another viney crop, indigenous,
Buffalo Gourd, would work, like pumpkins, but itšs perennial, too.
Also, Išve used
bi-annual stubble turnips, successfully, to break up hard pan. Cost is around
$4 per pound,
but the tiny seeds cover a lot of area. Austrian
Winter peas are also viney and strangle bindweed.
A smattering of kenaf or red top cane, (early
sumac) or sterile hybrids, would add height to a mix, and allow trellising, and
further keep light off the ground-hugging bindweed.
mike