Rampant bindweed! Desparate

[cobblers123]

My neighbours do not maintain their garden at all, last year I noticed that I was getting bindweed coming under the concrete gravelboard and I nearly killed one of my Penstemons by using weedkiller on the base of the weed.

It's now getting out of control, it is starting to strangle some of my established summer plants and shrubs and I am desperate for how I can control it. I am constantly pulling it out but I know that's not going to help.

I get on well with my neighbours but I am getting really angry about how much their lack of care of their own is impacting so badly on mine.

Anyone have any suggestions of anything that might at least keep it at bay, do I just keep on relentlessly pulling it out when I see it or should I just napalm their garden in order to protect my own. grin

A nightmare - pulling it up on your side will not achieve much it has a horrendous deep seated root system. The only thing I can think of is to douse your neighbours side with systemic weed killer - several times over a few weeks. (Apparently pigs like the roots, but I guess that's not much help!)

I use Roundup Gel on every single shoot,tendril etc I see appearing like this. Pulling it up is less effective (though you have to do it sometimes when 6 feet of the stuff appears overnight!).
We had rampant bindweed in a v scrubby area at the bottom of our garden when we came here. Glyphosate spray sorted it then-plus hard work- though its use is debated I know.
I hate bindweed with a passion,mainly because it was such hard work to get our own garden mostly free, and then NDNs seems totally oblivious to theirs and its wandering habit.

Napalm wouldn't be unreasonable though

Thank you for your suggestions, (I like the idea of pigs ) I have used Roundup in the past but not the gel which might at least protect anything getting on other plants. I will buy some and give it a try.

It's so frustrating to have got my garden just about how I want it, it's pretty full of shrubs and plants that are well established and I have this awful daily battle with the stuff.

I wish people that had no intention or no liking of gardening would at least keep their side in reasonable order, it really does cause horrible problems for neighbouring properties when you have an overgrown, untidy, weedy mess alongside you.

Failing that, if you really don't want to be bothered, buy a flat or pay a gardener.

I've seen it suggested to train the bindweed up a cane to keep it away from other plants, then use glyphosate gel (round-up or tumbleweed). The glyphosate will be carried back into the roots and kill the plant over about 3 weeks. If it doesn't work first time, try a more dilute, rather than stronger, solution.

Your neighbours might enjoy their wild flower filled garden.