Talking
Bindweed:
I’m a farmer in the
Texas panhandle and most dryland has
bindweed
here. It seems to be a loosing battle, but it’s
somewhat
possible to live with it. Here are the
approaches:
1.)
24D
and Roundup will burn it down enough to keep from plugging up
equipment
2.)
Keeping
it from getting any sunlight via plowing every 15
days
3.)
Heavy
sheep pressure
4.)
Sterilize
the ground
5.)
The
USDA in Bushland, Texas is experimenting with a
mite.
6.)
Change
your way of thinking; “bindweed is not the problem, farmers
are.”
In
exasperaton, I’ve tried to figure what niche bindweed was filling. To me it
seems,
that
being deep-rooted, it is breaking the hard pan, bringing up nutrients, as
well
as
keeping the ground from blowing as a result of “clean farming” or heavy
grazing.
So, by
my thinking, if we stopped making hard pan, possibly deep ripped, return
tilth,
(like green manure Austrian Winter Peas), and leave cover on the ground,
we
might
help Mother Nature, the same way bindweed
does.
Supposedly,
the tea from bindweed has anti-cancer properties, but it’s hard to eat all the
weeds!
Mike
Skinner
-----Original
Message-----
From: Scott
Pittman [mailto:pci@permaculture-inst.org]
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2000 6:28
PM
To:
permaculture
Subject: Re:
Bind weed
At
07:05 AM 8/16/00 -0400, you wrote:
Hi,
In a message dated 8/15/00
10:17:37 AM, pci@permaculture-inst.org writes:
<< Speaking of
blessings - we have large patches of bindweed. >> Hmmm...I
probably have this too:) What does it look like, awhat is the
botanical
name? Web pictures URL? Thanks again:)
Frank
Hey Frank, maintain good spirits.
You may not have it. It looks like a smaller version of morning glory plant,
but is perennial, will grow on a driveway, in sandy soil, with no light or
water, and its vines choke other plants that happen to grow nearby. It is sign
of overcompacted or overgrazed or otherwise mismanaged soil.
Roots go down
at least 6 feet. Trumpet flowers are small, bleak pink. In absence of other
plants spreads on the ground in mats.
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