I have a small garden (20x12) completely infested with morning glory vine. I want to renovate it and start growing vegetables. I know I could use Roundup, but would like help on any non chemical methods members have used that killed all the roots. I have only tried completely digging the area and removing roots, but there are always quite a few missed ones that regenerate. Could covering the area with black plastic and letting the hot August sun heat up the soil kill the roots?
If it is anything like Calystegia sepium bindweed (a close relative), getting rid of it is just about impossible. Actually, are you sure it isn't Calystegia sepium? That is a lot better adapted to the Vancouver area climate than Ipomoea. The flowers are nearly the same, but pure white.
Only specific herbicides are translocative into the root system. Round Up isn't really the best product for controlling Morning Glory as it is more of a grassy weed killer and not as effective on broadleaf. 2,4-D is more the product needed. In the City of Vancouver there is a pesticide bylaw preventing the use of either of these products. Eco Clear is permitted for use. But this is a contact herbicide that does not translocate into the roots. In the long run this does no more than you just pulling them out. Jim.
The City of Vancouver's bylaw structure regarding vegetation of various sorts (from trees to morning glory) is deeply flawed. They offer no alternatives, yet ban what works, and since many of us are gifted with the scourge courtesy of our neighbours, the bylaw is nothing but a way to tilt the playing field in favour of inconsiderate boors, and a tool with which those types can bully the rest of us. Not that I feel strongly or anything. I'm actually pretty organically-minded too, but I can't dig because the root source is in the neighbour's yard. I have found some information somewhere, either here or on Gardenweb, about using Roundup for morning glory (it's commonly called that around here, whatever its species name - I know there are Ipomoeas that go by that name too, so Michael may have it right). The basic advice was to dilute it a lot, as the plant cannot translocate the stuff effectively if it is top-killed too quickly. The method recommended was a plastic tub with a slit in the lid, inserting a sprig through the lid and leaving it to soak a while. If you decide on digging, the key is repeating the exercise long enough to deal with it all. It can take a couple of seasons, but if you are careful and thorough and can dig everywhere, maybe you can do it in one. Just wait for it to resprout after every digging, and dig again.
yes ,I forgot to list the scientific name. It is listed as Calystegia sepia in my reference books. It is a twining vine, up to 20 feet, beautiful pure white flowers,and will regenerate from small root segments.The roots are pure white and look like crooked spaghetti. Whenever I am pulling its roots from the garden, I am always thinking "It would be great if these roots were edible!
Oh, and the baking under plastic thing: I doubt it. I suspect the roots go too deep to get hot enough. Or our summers don't get hot enough. Or something. It can't be that easy.
It's not. If you dig up all the roots you can find, then use black plastic or black landscaper's cloth and only cut tiny little holes in it where you've planted your veggies, and then mulch over the top of that with cedar chips, you've got a fighting chance. But it's never going to go away fully. The cedar's a good deterrent, though. Bonne Chance!
