Utah weeds · Perennial vine · peak May – September
How to get rid of Field Bindweed in Utah
How to recognize Field Bindweed (morning glory)
- Arrowhead- or ear-shaped leaves about 1 to 2 inches long
- Thin vines that twine around stems, fences, shrubs and sprinkler heads
- White to pale pink, funnel-shaped flowers about an inch across
- Slender white roots that run deep and snap off easily
Why it thrives in Utah
Field bindweed does well in irrigated valley soil and in dry rock beds alike. The roots can reach many feet down and spread sideways, and the seeds can stay alive in the soil for years, so a bed that looks clear can sprout again a month later. It is on Utah’s noxious weed list, which is a good hint at how hard it is to keep out.
How to remove it by hand
- Pull when shoots are 3 to 6 inches tall, before they start climbing your plants.
- Follow the stem down to the base and loosen the soil with a hand fork so the root can slide out.
- Pull slowly and steadily. The root will often break, and that is fine: the goal is to keep removing the new growth.
- Bag every piece of vine and root. Do not compost it.
- Come back every week. Each time a shoot is removed, the plant has to spend stored energy to send up another, and over a season or two that wears it down.
When to pull it
New shoots show up when the soil warms in May and keep coming through September. The earlier and more often you pull, the faster the roots weaken.
How to keep it from coming back
- Keep two to three inches of mulch over bare soil.
- Pull shoots as soon as they appear along fence lines and bed edges, where bindweed usually enters.
- Never let it flower. Every flower is more seed in your soil.
Want the full story? Read our in-depth guide: How to Get Rid of Field Bindweed in Utah (Without Spraying Your Whole Yard).
Field Bindweed FAQs
Will pulling kill bindweed?
Not in one visit. Pulling once only removes what is above ground and part of the root. Pulling every new shoot every week is what slowly starves the plant, which is why it works best as a recurring job.
Is bindweed the same as morning glory?
They are close relatives. People call field bindweed “wild morning glory” because the flowers look alike, but field bindweed is a weed with a much deeper, tougher root system.
Why does it come back right after I weed?
Pieces of root left in the soil sprout new shoots, and seeds already in the soil keep germinating. That is normal with bindweed and the reason one big cleanup is not enough.
Skip the pulling
A weeder from Utah Weed Pullers can handle field bindweed for you: one visit a week, pulled by hand with no sprays, from $322 a month. We serve all of Utah County and Salt Lake County, including Lehi, Provo, Orem, Draper, Sandy, South Jordan, American Fork, Salt Lake City. See every city.