There's the sweet and lovely morning glory that vigorously climbs trellises, prettying up your garden, and then there's its unpleasant cousin, the morning glory weed. Technically this type of morning glory is called field bindweed, but whatever you call it, it's tenacious and terrible. If you want tackle it, read on for the weed control know-how you'll need.
Morning Glory Weed Hates a Crowd
As with all weeds, stiff competition from other plants is one of the best weed control methods for morning glory. Crowd it out with a thick, lush lawn. In flowerbeds, crowd it out by filling in bare areas with ground covers well suited to your climate or covering bare spots with thick mulch.
This Weed Control War Will Have Many Battles
With some weeds, a little herbicide is all you need. Not so with morning glory. One treatment will barely touch the stuff. Be ready for repeat applications. Whether you're spot treating with a non-selective herbicide or treating with a
weed killer for broadleaf perennials, you'll need to apply, and then apply again. Start in the spring, treating every two to three weeks. You may still be battling the weed come fall, and even next year. That's the way it goes with morning glory weed. Keep fighting the battles and you'll eventually win the war.
Perennial weeds are tough, and morning glory is among the worst of the bunch. But with some crowding and some vigorous weed control, you'll emerge triumphant.
Dawn West B.A. holds a B.A. in English from Harvard University and teaches writing at Oregon State University.
