bind weed in bin

[wyntermoon]

i have a new compost bin and around the edge of my garden i have what i have identified as bind weed. today i noticed it growing out of the door in my bin is this going to ruin my compost? if it grows lots will i still be able to turn my compost as it rots down? i dont really want to move my bin but dont know what to do with it. some one PLEASE help
thank you in advance
worried composter wynter x

[Lady of Shallots]

I'm having the same problem! Help!

[paulsherwin]

Bindweed is evil stuff. A properly functioning compost bin should destroy it because of the raised temperature, but personally I would never add bindweed or any other perennial weed to a compost heap. Once you've inadvertently introduced something like ground elder to your garden, you're well and truly b*ggered (I speak from experience.)

Paul

[Lady of Shallots]

The bindweed was unfortunately there before I was! Found it trying to strangle some onions last night the speed the stuff grows at is incredible! I didn't put any bindweed in my bin, it grew into it from underneath I think. It seems to be growing from the garden next door!

[paulsherwin]

You can keep spraying it with glyphosate which will reduce it somewhat, but you'll never get rid of it completely. Some people encourage it to grow up a big cane then soak all the exposed leaves with glyphosate - it's supposed to maximise the amount of weedkiller getting into the roots.

Paul

[DavidT]

Disagree with Paul here, using Glyphosate you CAN eradicate it from your garden. Unfortunately, it can still enter from outside. So you need to be vigilant and have the weedkiller handy. Also, composting WILL NOT kill it, the exact opposite, actually, as you are finding out, Wynter. The best advice I can offer, is remove the bin from the compost "heap" and resite. Then treat your "compost" with Glyphosate. It will probably need several treatments.

[wyntermoon]

hi all,
the weed has grown under as lady of shallots has said, i havent put it in unless some has sneaked in under the guise of grass cuttings i suppose that could of happened . moving the bin isnt really an option as its the only place it can go, its a fairly new bin so will do my best to treat it, i know where the main plant is and thats where it all grows from so will go hacking on sunday and then will treat bin.
thanks for advice
Wynter x

[Lady of Shallots]

I had an aggressive bindweed destroying session yesterday and attempted to dig the whole lot up, took all day! Will it grow back from bits of roots though if I left any in the ground? I'm a bit adverse to putting chemicals all over it as it's where I want to start planting into the ground and I really want to grow my veggies organically!

[DavidT]

Yes, it will regrow from very small pieces of root, so you really would be better off using weedkiller to get rid of it. If you MUST plant the area immediately then do so, but keep an eye out for the regrowth. As it regrows you could always paint the Glyphoste on the leaves, rather than spraying.

[paulsherwin]

Glyphosate is safe to use where you want to grow crops. It's widely used in commercial agriculture.

You can't dig bindweed out. If you don't want to use glyphosate, all you can do is pull up the bindweed shoots as soon as they appear. This will gradually weaken the plant, but it will take many years to get rid of it completely.

Paul