Weeds particularly bindweed (long)

17 years ago

I was just going to give a short answer to songbirdmommy on Virginia Creeper but this is more generally about invasive plants and especially bindweed.

Not dead sure about the Virginia Creeper but I had a similar problem with vinca and Bindweed. Everywhere. For the vinca I mowed it in the spring and hit it with roundup every month the first year and every couple months the second year. I pull the isolated plants by the roots. I made a big dent. I think if you make the Virginia Creeper a campaign the same way you can get it. If you have an aversion to Roundup you can try Burnout which is a concentrated vinegar. Very acidic but not persistent so there is no residual effect on the soil. It might take a couple years but is doable.

Bindweed is a different matter. It is pervasive and hides in grass, among plants, and gets in places where one cant use poisons. Last spring I discovered bindweed mites and the success other states have had with biological controls. I contacted the Utah extension agents for the USDA and they had never heard of the mite. They did send me to USU and following a number of inquiries on my part I was finally contacted by a representative of Animal and Health Inspection Services (APHIS) who apparently is the only entity with a permit to import a biological control into a state (actually a good idea).

Through several conversations it became clear that not only did they have no import program for Utah there was no education program regarding this control agent. There was one county weed agent in the state (Moab) who investigated the mites and imported and spread them in 2005. The Salt Lake County weed guy didnt even know the control existed.

Following even more conversations I made an appointment to meet the APHIS person in Grand Junction where the USDA had set up a collection farm for these things. The initial appointment was in the beginning of June last year. Well I got a call from her just before the day of departure and lo and behold, the mites were so successful at the collection site that there was no more bindweed for us to collect. I tried to keep in touch with her but I think she was a grad student doing this part time and it got dropped for the year.

A note about these mites Texas is the state that started the research and first introduced them. Many states followed and they will even give you contaminated bindweed in Colorado counties. No help in Utah to date. There is a lot of information available on the internet. Just Goggle "bindweed mites" and follow the links.

If there is one thing this group can do to help each other it is pursue this biological control agent for bindweed. It beats poison and works almost as fast. And it gets the roots. If any of you southern Utah folks could get and report current information regarding the Moab experiment it would be a wonderful help. If the mite is already established around Moab we can collect it without permit (I think). I think APHIS is only involved when you import INTO a state. I dont know how many of you fight bindweed but for those of us that do this could be a wonderful option.

Jim

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Comments (32)

songbirdmommy
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Bind weed is a scourge to my gardening side.
I had it growing all over the place at my home we just moved from.
Every morning I would get up just before sunrise and go out and pull for an hour or two.
Gardening as the sun rises is so relaxing to me! Especially before the wicked Southern Utah heat sets in about 9 AM!

I swear the blasted bindwood would pop up into little, mini bunches over night.
If I went a week without weeding, forget it, their tentacles would reach out all over the place, up the irises, into my container gardens on the patio, EVERYWHERE!

I had Prickly lettuce all over the place too, but would rather deal with an acre of Prickly lettuce than one square foot of bindweed!

I do not know if this new yard has bindweed in it or not...
but if I had known about these mites(and know that they would be safe for the ecosystem here) I would have gone to Colorado and smuggled them in!

Jim, was wondering if you know what kind of an impact these mites would have on our ecosystem?
I know some places in the past, they have imported "natural" things to combat something and it turned out the new guy on the block was a bully and ended up being public enemy # 1.
I am drawing a complete blank on what.... but I know there are alot!

When you talked to the lady in Colorado, did she say that they had noticed a negative impact on the ecosystem at all?

If it was safe for the ecosystem, I say let's educate and make officials aware of a natural solution.

I personally think mites=no good... I am thinking about my cats and rabbits ears... YUCK!!!
But if they are benefitial... go mighty mites!
jimh6278
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Answer on the bindweed mite is that it was tested extensively by Texas A&M and the USDA before being approved for general use in the states. The mites come from the Balkans where the bindweed originated and it is very specific to bindweed. That is why many states have approved use. The problem with Utah, in my opinion, is that this is not an agricultural state so there is not a lot of pressure from the agricultural industry to solve problems. States like California, Texas, Colorado, etc have very strong agricultural research programs and they are very sensitive to foreign agents and invasive entities. They are also very interested in biological controls and they have all approved the use of bindweed mites. This information is all available on the net.

Another control agent is the decollate snail that eats snails. A number of states allow the use of this agent to control common snails but no one has pushed for its use in Utah. Imagine a biological agent that could control snails in your garden. You can buy these things in many states but not Utah. Use has been approved for use in this country but not this state. Another thing we should work for. All safe for use in the states.
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stevation
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Cool! Bindweed mites! I'd never heard of them, but I WANT SOME! If anyone gets any around here, please let us know if we can share in the bounty!
jimh6278
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Steve here is a great link describing the mite and pictures of way they destroy the plant. I have initiated contact with APHIS to set up collection again this year. Once we get them into the state there are no restrictions on the use. Most of our neighboring states are actually educating and encouraging people to get and use them. In fact you could plant them in a neighbors lawn or fence and each time the guy mowed it would spread the mites. He/she would be killing the bindweed without even knowing it. Sort of subversive, huh. Ill keep the board posted.

http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/index.html#http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/bindweedmite.html
hjust1
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, keep us posted, I know people around here would be thrilled to lose their bindweed!
jimh6278
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Good news I just received an email from Colorado State U indicating that it is legal for me to collect bindweed mites for use in Utah. I have been invited to Grand Junction in May to collect infected weeds. As the time gets closer I will post the details.

Jim
songbirdmommy
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That is AWESOME!
Do the mites attack the rhizomes? How do they work?
jimh6278
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Here is a link to a PDF article produced by Oklahoma State University. If you Google "bindweed mites" you will get a lot of hits from various southwestern ag schools. The mites are not fool proof and they will not totally eradicate a patch but they are safe to use around gardens, pets, and children. I hope they work.

http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ipm/weeds/FieldBindweedPT.pdf

While you are at it if you go to the following link there is a great picture of decollate snails chowing down on a common garden snail. That is my next import. Snails are even more troublesome than morning glory. They destroyed my honeysuckle last year. And I have a dog that will not leave snail bait alone.

http://www.growquest.com/snail_destroyer.htm

Jim
stevation
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Jim,

Do you think I could get a sample when you bring some back? I'd love to start a colony of bindweed mites at my place!

Steve
jimh6278
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Steve - Absolutely you can have some. If it is available I am going to bring back several bags full. That means you should let a patch grow this spring so there will be a place for the Mites to set up. I will keep the forum informed on status.

Jim
stevation
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks Jim! I'll stay tuned.
johnleeinslc
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Jim,

Once your mites have established, can I pick some of your bindweed too?

another salt laker.

-john
jimh6278
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
John I am going to bring back as much of the infected weed as I can. I have to collect it into paper bags and keep it cool during the trip back. I think the key is having a patch of weeds it can go into immediately to get it established.

At this point I dont know what mine are going to look like. If you have a good patch I would suggest that you take some of the infected stuff I collect and try to get it established. If several of us in the area introduce it maybe at least one will be successful. Once started sharing is easy.

So the answer is certainly you can have some and if you are willing to try with what I collect that is even better. As the time gets close I will keep everybody informed on status and timing so we can coordinate the release.

Nice pics & fish.

Jim
albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
attempt at hotlink to: http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/index.html#http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/
TRA/PLANTS/bindweedmite.html
level3navigator
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sign me up for some of those bindweed mites, too! I am out in Herriman and in spite of many pullings and applications of Roundup, I would love to finally kill this stuff off. All of my neighbors could use it too!

Let me know when you have them and I'll be happy to arrange a pickup time / place.
nancydex
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
What a wonderful bug! We have a big problem with bindweed in Lindon and would love to have bindweed mites here if you have enough to go around.

Thanks,
Nancy
cyclewest
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
We're in mid-May now... Any updates on the mighty bindweed mite? I was trying to regain some ground on the bindweed war. I noticed that it had very extensive lines through one section of our yard where it would pop up, realize it was under a rock, then continue on every couple of inches until there was an opening. I was clearing out another area before applying a layer of mulch, but I'm afraid that with the roots (and the neighbor's infected yard in that area) it will probably still break through the mulch, since I've read here that it breaks through weed fabric barriers.

Thanks!
jimh6278
Original Author
17 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I just got confirmation that the collection will take place in Grand Junction the 30th. I should be back in Salt Lake City late that day. The infected weed can stay in the fridge for a couple days at most so it should be picked up the 31st, 1st, or second. The release will require a good exieting patch. If we can get it established someplace in the city folks can harvest it for years - at least until the mites set the weed back to the point where collection isn't feasible. My personal patch is only OK right now but I have been letting it grow all spring.

I will keep the board up to date on the plans.

Jim
johnleeinslc
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Jim,

Got Critters?

If you have some to spare, I would gladly pick some up from you.

-John
stevation
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Yeah, me too! I want some! You're probably going to have a tough time sharing with as many people as probably want this stuff. (I was first in line, wasn't I?) :-)
jimh6278
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
A bindweed update:

On May 24th we traveled to Grand Junction to join 20+ Colorado volunteers in the annual collection. The site was a 40 acre prairie do town which apparently is a great place for bindweed. They were collecting enough for 600 releases in the state. An interesting side comment from the guy leading it was he did not think they would be able to collect any next year. It would all be gone.

Once we collected 2 large shopping bags we rushed home to SLC and placed about 25 different releases in areas cultivated for this. As of today I think we have at least 4 successful starts and some seriously sick bindweed.

However, I am not sure it is ready to be split yet. I think in another 2 weeks I will know for sure it took and when the time comes I will post on the forum. Hope that helps. It was an interesting experience all in all.

Jim
dalana
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Jim, I'm in central UT and terribly infested with bindweed in my lawn. I seem to keep it in control in beds and the garden but it takes many hours to keep up with it. Please let me know how and when we can purchase/or get these mites. (who ever thought I would want mites so badly)Thanks for your efforts, it's appreciated!
cyclewest
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thought I would try to breathe some more life into this thread...

It sounds like the bindweed in my lawn will need an alternative solution. From Jim's comments on another thread, the mites do not like moisture and are best suited for a dry patch, not the lawn. I've been much better about pulling it out before I mow, but it still seems to be spreading in three sections of my lawn. Does it spread from "cuttings" as well? I've heard something like as little as an inch of the root will develop into a new plant (so there's no use attempting to till an area), but I wondered if the spread in some areas is due to me not picking it fast enough so that the root can grow and spread, or if I missed pulling some before I mow the lawn (I don't bag the clippings).

The real problem area is the bindweed growing among some small, thick bushes that I have. It is impossible to try to dig out any of the root from among large landscape rocks, and it is too closely mixed in with the existing plants to apply anything to it without damage.

So, are there any mites ready for spreading yet?
bpgreen
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Absolutely don't till. That can only make it worse.

I have read conflicting reports on whether it'll grow from "cuttings" or not. To be on the safe side, I don't put any in the compost. But I don't think it would be able to root in the lawn if it was mowed or left after pulling. The surface of the lawn would be too dry. Of course, if you water every day, that's a different story and it might stay moist enough then.
jimh6278
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
An interim update I mixed infected bindweed in several well established patches of bindweed. A couple along a fenceline. I also had a 20 X 30 patch of bindweed identified for this purpose.

Fence it appeared that the mites were effective on 2 of 3 patches (this is not a science for an amateur. When I was collecting the stuff the guy tried to show me the difference between affected bindweed and normal bindweed. I could never tell the difference so I just collected as many plants as I could. I think most of it was affected to some degree but I dont know for sure.) On one of the fences I was trying to kill the bindweed that was competing with honeysuckle. It didnt seem to work. On general fences it seemed to work.

Open patch I entwined the infected bindweed among the plants in the middle of the patch maybe a 5 X 5 area. I did not pay enough attention and in about 3 weeks there was nothing but dirt. I pulled a number of dead plants and moved them to another patch I had reserved for the purpose (mid august). I think the second group took but I really dont know. I will know next spring.

The thing that surprised me was how quickly the one patch turned from vibrant plants to dirt. And how slowly the fence lines seemed to react. I think I will not know the full impact until late spring. If the dirt area stays dirt then there are clearly applications for this stuff. Beyond that time will tell.

I dont think the mites will work on a healthy lawn because they dont move. They need to be someplace where some agent moves them or the plants touch. I dont even know if they will work in a suburban fence and I dont know if the one good kill I saw is permanent. I think they would be very effective in an orchard situation where there was a monoculture but I dont know if the kill is permanent. Ill know next year. I also dont know if I will have any infected bindweed to share until spring. I think my big patch is toast and I will see if the fence areas show signs of infestation.

I wish I could say that I had mites to share and greater success but time will tell. I will keep the board informed.
sharlanet
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I would love to get my hands on some of those mites! My beds are so infected. What a chore trying to keep it pulled!

Do you have anymore updates, Jim? I know it's a little early in the spring, but I'm so curious about this!
kliddle
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
me too. this thread started before i joined. i have tried for about two years to eradicate it from my back yard. would love to try the mite if anybody has any.
jimh6278
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Update on the bindweed mite experiment. As of June 9, 2008 I do not find any sign of the mites and the bindweed patch I allowed to grow is thriving. If there was a sign of the mites I would forgo spraying but . So yesterday I hit the patch with 24D. Bindweed is flourishing in the cool wet weather.

I wish it had turned out differently and I could say it was a viable control agent but it did not work for me in any of the places I released the mites. Based on my experience and what I know, mites are not a solution for the suburban/urban site. I think they need a large area and a site that can tolerate a growing bindweed population for years to be effective. My space is too small and too intensively used to just allow the bindweed to grow unchecked.
stevation
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Bummer! Do you find that 2,4-D works best on bindweed? I did try last year at different times with Roundup and Weed-B-Gon (2,4-D), and to me, it seemed the Weed-B-Gon worked best.
sharlanet
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm really bummed to hear that too! I've been letting mine grow in hopes of getting some mites to sic on it! ;)

How do you use Roundup & weedbgone without killing the other vegetation? Ugh- wedding reception in 6 weeks- gotta get on it!
stevation
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sharla,

You can't spray any of those weed killers where they will get on other plants, unless you're talking about spraying the bindweed in your lawn, in which case you can use Weed-B-Gon and it's safe on grass. But it's not safe on anything else. And, of course, Roundup isn't safe on anything!

I have not tried this, but to kill weeds with other plants around them, some people will put some weed killer in a cup and use a small paint brush to brush it on the weeds only. But you'd have to be careful to not drip the chemical on other nearby plants. I have a sister in law who does this and uses a mixture of Weed-B-Gon, Roundup, and a sticker-spreader liquid. I don't know if that's more effective or not.

For me, I just keep trying to pull the bindweeds and dig out some of their roots, but I never get it all, and they do keep coming back. I keep thinking if I deny them photosynthesis by yanking out the greenery, the roots have to die someday. Someday...
jimh6278
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Best for bindweed is a relative term. I am convinced the stuff knows how to attack things like honeysuckle, hops, peas, and anything else where you cant really get at it. After 4 years of pulling and attempting to remove all the little white roots from my raised beds I am coexisting at best. I even have a little bottle with roundup and a q-tip for tight areas. This year seemed to generate a bumper crop. Roundup, weed-b-gone, and burnout all seem to have their effective and ineffective moments.

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