The dreaded bindweed and brambles

Theveggardener

Earlier this year I spent a whole week digging out every bit of bindweed and bramble I could find which is coming from over the back. Today I went to check on my tomatoes and sweetcorn only to find they both have bindweed growing up them. On to the runner beans, yes you've guessed it they also have bindweed entangled around them. Both the bindweed and the brambles are coming in from over the back fence and on looking I find it's a complete dump. It won't be much longer and the brambles will be over the top of the fence, they are already pushing through the slats of the fence. Sorry about the rant but does anyone have any ideas on how I can control the stuff from my side, I have better things to do in my garden then keep clearing their wayward plants.

Joy*

You could always try dipping the young shoots in strong weed killer but sadly I think that the only solution, if you can't attack the entire root system is to keep hacking them back. Both are persistent and seem to survive the most diligent attacks. 

josusa47

What's on the other side of the fence?  If it's a neighbour's garden, you could try what a friendly word would do.  If it's something like waste ground or railway embankment, you could complain to the landowner.  Are your neighbours suffering likewise?  If so, a united approach might be more effective.

Nollie

I have deeply rooted bindweed in my vegetable garden and all you can do when plants are growing is to untangle the stems from your veg. Then try to trace the stems back to the root if it’s popping up on your side of the fence and dig down with a slim tool to remove as much of the root as possible, without damaging the roots of your veg. Once you have harvested the crops and the bindweed starts shooting again, that’s the time to treat the young shoots with glyphosate - not while your veg is still growing.

Without tackling the problem at source, over the fence, it will be an ongoing problem so all you can do is keep hacking it and the brambles back as they appear and treating what you can. Even when you can access the roots, it takes persistence and a lot of hard work to get rid of either, so getting the neighbour on side, as Josusa suggests, is your best long term solution.

Theveggardener

Joy*, Josusa47 and Nollie, thank you all for your replies. This afternoon I went round to talk to the people in question, to offer to give them a hand to remove the bindweed and the brambles and spray it with weed killed which I would provide. When the door open they looked strange and then the smell hit me they had been smoking cannabis or something like it. I put my offer to them and was told they would leave the gate unlocked and I could come and do it when I wanted but I'd have to bring my own spade and fork as the don't have either. They thanked my and went in and shut the door before I could say I would help them to clear it not for me to do it on my own. Well at least I know where the sickly sweet smell has been coming from but what a check they have, so it looks like nothing will be done from there side. 

josusa47 it's the people over the back to us their back garden is at the end of our back garden.

I don't like to use chemicals but it looks like I have no choice. I'm 74 in 5 weeks time and have arthritis doing this every year will be to much for me. It's so disheartening as this is the first year I've grown veg and have been enjoying it till I saw this. 

barry island

NannaBoo I hope you don't mind me saying but for me I would say save your energy, if you spend months digging you are unlikely to stop the weeds, just treat the problem from your side. My next door neighbours garden is the same brambles growing rampant, I just snip the runners off and toss them back, there's no way that I will offer to clear their garden.

Theveggardener

I was shocked barry island. I went round with the offer of help and they expected me to do it on my own. It could of course have been that they were of their heads with whatever they were smoking be even so. I spoke to my son about the problem and he said to do the same as you have suggested. Tomorrow I'll be out there with my secateurs and lobbing it bake over to there garden. I wouldn't have minded giving them a hand to get it sorted but doing it for them, I'm not their gardener. It's a shame as their two children can't play in the garden.

barry island

The guy next door to me had a tree in his front garden which grew up into the telephone wires, I mentioned that the branches could bring the wires down and he came up with some guff about paying someone to cut the branches back but that they hadn't cut them back enough blah blah! So I being a good chap (mug) offered to cut the tree back myself, to which he replied that I was welcome to do the work but that I would have to get rid of the branches, I agreed to do that but half way through the job when I looked around to see that my front garden was full of his tree branches I thought to myself, am I right in the head? Some people are doers and some people are users, it sounds as if like me your neighbours are of the latter persuasion.

Theveggardener

barry island, If they didn't smoke so much of the drugs they would have the money to buy the tools to do the job, they don't own a lawn mower they told me. Also their children would have somewhere to play instead of being in the house where the drug smoke is in the air and affecting them. I have tied up the bind weed and trained it to go back over their side. The brambles I have pulled and cut back and then thrown ito over the fence and once my veg s finished I'll put a weed killer down then later put some black plastic over the area and see if that helps next year.

Your right you can help some people but others just take advantage of you kindness. I am often offer plants and I alway say to the person it will take a while but would you like me to do some cutting or a cutting for you but that's just the way I am.

JennyJ

As they have given you permission, I would go round there and spray a strip along the fence line with weedkiller (a strong one, brushwood killer or similar). I don't use weedkiller lightly but needs must, sometimes. If they complain, tell them you're not strong enough to do anything more on your own. You might just shame them into doing something about it.

Theveggardener

Thanks Jennyj, but it's unlikely anything would shame this lot their off the heads most of the time from what I can see. I would also have the problem of climbing over everything to get to the fence and who knows what is in there. I can't understand why they bought a house with a garden and not a flat, unless it was because there would have been a maintenance fee with a flat. When my veg is all in I'll take some photos just incase these is a problem in the future. I have sent them a letter that has to be signed for with my offer with their help I'll help them to clear along the fence line adjoining my garden. I can't do anymore but will do what I can from my side.

I also don't like chemicals in the garden. The other month my now ex other half used something he mixed up and sprayed or watered onto the lawn and my hands came up in blisters. I still have one little patch on my left index finger that won't heal properly, so like to avoid chemicals if possible.