By Tugman
United Kingdom 
Bindweed. Our allotment which we have just aquired has lots of bind weed roots, I was told by one gardener that some of the old boys used to stick in bamboo rods which the bindweed being a climber wound it's way up the rods then with this certain weed killer (which I have foregotten the name of) you pour some on gloved hands and starting from the bottom of the plant rub your hands up the underside of the leaves and down again, then the weed killer would find it's way down to the roots and killing them.
My question is has anybody else heard of this method and if so what is the name of the weed killer. Tugman
11 Jun, 2011
Answers
I have done this., but without the gloves. I was advised to lay the canes down on the ground and spray with roundup or any other glyphosate weedkiller. Make sure you cover any surrounding plants though, as glyphosate will kill everything it touches. Having said that, bindweed is very resilient and very deep rooted and you will have to keep doing it for quite a while before you win. Keep constant vigilance after you've killed off what you can see, and remove every new shoot as soon as it pokes through. Eventually this will weaken it until it gives up altogether but it can be a long battle.
11 Jun, 2011
I agree with Dorjac and Steragram...do all of that, but try to do it with a weedkiller, active ingredient 2,4 D.
It does get to the root, but you have to repeat the process every other week, since the blighter has always sent up new shoots before the weedkiller gets deep enough...
I was in bindwood hell (still not quite out of the woods)...but things definitely improving!
2,4 D is also selective and can be put on lawns...care in flower beds is necessary though, as Dorjac describes with the bottles...
Take courage....!
11 Jun, 2011
I don't think you ever completely win with bindweed but it can be discouraged. Iv'e run out of plastic bottles and will go for another walk to get the paper, and see if the thirsty youth of this town have left me any laying about the streets. Hope the brushup man hasn't been round yet. Our town , so far, has not yet cut these handy ladies and gents out of existence. Little wagon, brush, pick up stick, plastic bags, leave on corner to be collected......Simples.
12 Jun, 2011
i would definitely advise you to use gloves when handling any weedkiller though.
12 Jun, 2011
I have used weedkiller on bindweed trapped in plastic drinks bottles with the bottom cut off and squirt through the top. This is because of it being in amongst other plants in the border. I have run out of them due to using the other way up to ensure watering of plants to the roots during the prolonged drought we have had in Essex. Stabilise the bottle with a cane through the top into the ground and a protector for H&S. I am about to do just that with a bottle picked up in the street. As now we have had rain, some is growing where not seen before.
11 Jun, 2011