For all of you out there that are plagued with field bindweed (also known as morning glory), you should know that now (Fall) is one of the best times to spray. Field bindweed is a perennial and though it goes dormant in the winter, its roots are still alive and well. Right now it is drawing all it's energy out of its leaves and back into the roots in preparation for winter. If you spray it now, it will draw those herbicides back into the roots, killing the roots too.
Using herbicides is your best bet for controlling field bindweed. When you pull it up, you can almost never get the whole root because their roots can go deeper than three feet. If you spray it when it has lots of foliage, it will kill the root too.
The best chemicals to use for controlling bindweed are a mix of 2,4-D, Dicamba (Banvel), and glyphosate (Round-Up). I don't know much about Dicamba, but glyphosate and 2,4-D are both low risk herbicides. I wouldn't drink them, but you shouldn't have any health risks from spraying them on your weeds if you follow the label directions.
If your grass is infested with bindweed, don't use glyphosate. It will kill your grass too. However, 2,4-D and Dicamba can both be used in your lawn because they are broad-leafed herbicides.
Whatever you do, always remember to take control of your bindweed as soon as possible. The longer you let it grow, the more seeds it makes and the more it reproduces vegetatively.
