We bought a house that unfortunately has a field bindweed infestation in the front lawn. I have been pulling and using round-up but it is my understanding that it will be a lengthy and time consuming battle to eradicate the bindweed and save the lawn. We are prepared to start from scratch and totally remove the lawn if that will get rid of the bindweed. My questions is, what is the process/checmicals I need to use to eradicate the bindweed if saving the lawn is no issue?
My previous home had the same infestation in part of the yard. We called the NY State DEC (dep't of environmental conservation), and the Cornell Cooperative Extension, who referred us to a botanist at Cornell University. Both basically said the same thing, and keep in mind this was about 15 years ago:
You can use an herbicide that you're really better off not using, if you want to be able to touch the lawn or the next 12-18 months. You need to permit to obtain it in NY State. If you have children and sometimes let them play outdoors, forget this idea. There may be newer chemicals which, in theory, are safer, but of course, it's only theoretical.
or:
Cover the area with landscape fabric for 2 years. You'll want wide rolls so there are less gaps for weeds to sneak through. Plan to remove the fabric only at the PERFECT time for starting new grass seed in your area, or use sod. Bindweed thrives in heat, so if you don't give the new seed every advantage, you'll lose the battle almost immediately.
or:
Live with it. This is what we ended up doing. The chemical approach was not an option, and covering the whole lawn seemed ridiculous. It worked out fine in the end. During the heat of summer, when grass is suffering (unless you water constantly), the bindweed provided a nice soft low-growing ground cover for the dozen or so kids who always came over to romp in the yard. During cool weather, the grass grew higher than the bindweed, making the weed almost unnoticeable.
If you insist on a pure lawn, option 3 will not make you happy. Keep in mind that a pure lawn is a goal that's not of your choosing.
Covering my lawn with fabric would just spread the bindweed to my neighbor and then when I uncover the lawn, it will return. The only chemical solution is one that leaves my lawn untouchable for 12-18 months?
I don't think "starting from scratch" will work because the ground is already full of bindweed roots and seeds. You'll never get rid of it all in order to start over. Round-up is probably not a good chemical to use because it kills the grass too.
2,4-d is supposed to be effective against bindweed; if you spot treat with 2,4-d will it travel from one weed to another through the interconnected root system? Frequent mowing is probably the best treatment. It will keep the bindweed weak where the grass should be able to outcompete it. FWIW there's an inconclusive statistical link between 2,4-d and certain forms of cancer, such as lymphoma.
I think Crossbow? is the herbicide of choice to control bindweed in corn, but I wouldn't want it in my lawn.
As of 15 years ago, yes, the only chemical solution was one which was hideous. I haven't checked since then. If you do, I would strongly suggest that you consult with people who don't make their living selling lawn chemicals. At best, you may end up wasting your money on stuff that doesn't kill the weed, but is still unsafe. The worst case scenario could involve sick children, due to a cause which will seem absurd in retrospect.
Two things you should know about lawn chemicals:
1) Although someone in this group will occasionally point to an isolated case or two, lawn chemicals are not tested on humans. Therefore, any claim of safety is suspicious at best. The manufacturers themselves have stated repeatedly over the past 30-40 years that the results of animal testing cannot be reliably used to predict the effects on humans, especially kids. Draw your own conclusions.
2) In the early 1970s, the chemical industry purchased legislation which allowed them to declare a long list of "inert" ingredients exempt from testing. Although they used the term "trade secrets" to describe some of these ingredients, the list included such things as toluene, which is known to be harmful to humans. When you look at a container and see "inert ingredients", you should question what that means, and why those ingredients are often not described in any detail.
Even with my extreme attitude, I'll agree that occasional spot treatment of weeds, done by a responsible individual, is probably safe. But, your situation is bigger than that.
We decided to live with bindweed after thinking about the function of a lawn. You want a green surface which is comfortable to walk or play on. If possible, it should deal well with foot traffic, and require very little maintenance. In your dreams, it should laugh at drought. It should remain thick, which prevents erosion, and shades the soil, making it more habitable for beneficial creatures like worms.
Grass handles comfort and erosion control nicely (if it's grown well). It does a marginal job with the rest of the list. Who says the "lawn" has to be
100% grass?
Incidentally, your neighbors will tell you that you've got a nice, thick lawn. It's up to you whether to tell them to take a closer look.
In my yard, the bindweed hugged the ground, so the mower didn't do much to it, especially since I always mowed high during the time of year (like now) when the bindweed was rockin' and the grass was suffering. Probably my biggest complaint was that it invaded nearby flower beds about twice as fast as the grass did in other areas. Still very manageable, though.
I really don't know anything about it. Is your neighbors dog a problem? _________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download
I'm afraid of my neighbors dog, his name is Harry. _________________________________________ Usenet Zone Free Binaries Usenet Server More than 120,000 groups Unlimited download
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