Crazy to Plant Bindweed?

[Nyboy]

Last year I had a patio and hot tub put in. I had about 5 large dump trucks of fill brought in then a large bulldozer to move it. I wanted privacy but didn't want a solid fence, I surrounded the patio with iron trellis. My plan was to grow vines up the trellis. I have tryed all kinds of vines from grape to kiwi to morning glory. Nothing lives I spent a llot of money on a plant cemetery. I realy love morning glory, the flower of bindweeb to me looks just like them but a different color. I know a lot of people hate bindweed I have never had it, so dont know its bad side. I see it growing in parking lots out of small cracks in black top. I know some plants that are a big problem in the south are not as bad in the norths short growing season. Can anyone in the north tell me what they think of this "weed"

 

[Ridgerunner]

I dont have a problem with bindweed here, for which I am grateful, but Bermuda grass and Johnson grass make up for it. Dont think I feel deprived. So I cant speak from experience. What I do suggest is talk to your county extension agent or maybe your local master gardeners and get suggestions from them. Id think some type of ivy. You should be looking for something with leaves year round. Grapes, kiwi, and morning glories dont do that. I dont think bindweed does either.

Something else. What kind of fill went in there? Is there something in that fill that is killing the plants? Or do you need to do some amending to get something things can grow in? That might take a lot of amending.

 

[Nyboy]

The fill came from close by, gym was built and they sold what had to be dug out to build. Very rocky with clay I am sure the problem is compacted soil, you need a pickax to dig a hole. I have had a truck load of hourse manure deliveried and add to planting holes.

 

[thistlebloom]

I think I would avoid bindweed NYboy. It's aggressive and hard to get rid of. It will invade all your other beds too.

There must be something that will grow on your fence. Could be poor soil, as Ridge stated.

Instead of horse manure, or at least in addition to, why don't you see if you can source some rabbit poo, or my all time favorite, llama and alpaca.

The problem with amending a planting hole in clay is poor drainage, so you have an absorptive puddle that won't drain away. But the people who actually garden in clay can give you better advice about that than I can.

Meanwhile here's a short list of possibilities for you!
Climbing euonymous ( slow, but evergreen ) could be interplanted with something faster.
Clematis armandii - it's evergreen, but I'm too lazy to see if it's hardy in your zone.
Virginia creeper
Hops - fast and good summer coverage
Silver lace vine
Porcelain vine
Trumpet vine
Honeysuckle
Akebia quinata
Wisteria

 

[baymule]

I would hold out for the grapes.......sitting on deck dropping fresh picked grapes in my mouth..... You might have to trench out enough clay to provide a more hospitable home for the grapes. Or maybe you could find and order some wild grapes, muscadine, scuppernong, mustang-there are nurseries that offer these and they grow wild in the woods with nobody to care for them.

 

[897tgigvib]

DO NOT PLANT BINDWEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...DANG, IT TAKES TOO LONG TO PUT IN 10 TO THE 27TH POWER NUMBER OF EXCLAMATION POINTS...

The entire world will be upset at you if you actually plant and tend bindweed!

Poison Ivy would be better to plant.

Now, if they come up with a sterile bindweed that is an annual, then maybe.

May Bindweed go extinct!

Virginia creeper grows in your zone, and it can grow super fast if given half a chance.

 

[canesisters]

If you want wild grapes.... I spend a crazy amount of time cutting/weedeating/jerking/trimming/unwinding/and mowing the stuff off of my fences (and every tree within reach).
Last night a friend and I were cutting overhanging braches away from the driveway. She drove the truck, I stood in the back with the loppers. Just about EVERY branch I cut was hung up with grape vine!! Somewhere, way back in the depths of the woods is the base of this monster plant and it MUST be about 25' around!!

If you can tell me how to dig & package it, I'll send you a whole big mess of it.

 

[Jared77]

With what you've listed it something should have made it unless its really that compacted.

Another thought would be to put down some big buckets with holes in the bottom for drainage or some big plastic pots and set them in the ground with good quality soil to do Morning Glories with. So at least you have something there to enjoy. Morning Glory would be a good choice for that temporary situation. Then you can work towards a more permanent solution.

Then you start amending the dirt you brought in with some compost to aerate the soil so the roots have a place grow and create drainage. Some manure wouldn't hurt either as Thistle mentioned. Start at one point and keep working your way around. As you improve an area remove the pot/bucket and plant directly.

That's how I'd attack it. But then I'd plant climbing roses along with its favorite climbing companion the clematis and really make it pop. You'd have lots of blooms for a long time and if did some homework you could get a fragrant climber to give you that much more to enjoy about what you've created. You could do something like Clematis 'Elsa Spath' and for your climbing rose you could do Iceberg which is a white climbing rose, or Social Climber a pink rose, or create more of a contrast with the bold Don Juan a red rose and Henryi clematis a white clematis.

The varieties I listed are just for color combinations and may not be the best so one doesn't overwhelm the other. You'll have to do your homework on that plus what would work best in your area and what plants would grow well together.

The National Gardening Association has a good article giving you the basics planting roses and clematis together. This is something I've always wanted to do in my landscape since I love the look of the two plants climbing together. I thought I'd share some of the ideas I've had as I've been kicking around some landscaping planning for next year.

Besides after the last couple of posts I figured you could use some alternative ideas

 

[Jared77]

Just had another thought.....amazing how much easier it is to design someone else's garden than it is your own but anyway, another thought would be to add some accent lighting? You already have power out there for the tub, and your already digging to improve the soil might be something you may want to bounce around.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Crazy, yes crazy, do not plant bindweed. My entire yard is made up of the crap. And gardens. And fence. And neighbors lawn. Gack, its awful!!