Thistles

[Rain]

Thistles, what's the best way to get rid of them? All suggestions appreciated, chemical or otherwise, although the ground needs to be used within this month so I wonder if that means the chemical option is out? They're sprouting up everywhere, hundreds of them.  :( :(
Tried searching the site but the search function is down. Thanks.

[Rain]

[kenkew]

Thistles are like dandilions, they have a tap root. At this time of year the very best way is a physical one. Loosen the ground with a fork and ease the root out. Bit of a bind I know....I know!
But it's the best way to be rid of it.


And I'm talking thistles...NOT nettles.

[Rain]

Hi Kenkew, thanks for the reply. I have been doing this but I can never get to the full root, it always breaks around a spade and a half down. If I keep going like this then the roots will just sprout again, and if I rotovate (which I plan to) after removing as much as I can out, then it will cut the remaining root into lots of new potential thistles.  ??? ??? :(

[Barnowl]

Haven't tried it yet but a friend suggested using an old washing up bottle with glyphosate in it so that you can precision squirt just the offending plant. Also apparently a good idea to bruise the weed a bit first.

If you use it close to crops I think you have to leave 2-3 weeks before planting.

[STEVEPARTRIDGE]

Hi, the best way to get rid of the thistles is by using Roundup as it will be absorbed by the leaves and will go down and kill the roots, try and get the liquid concentrate so that when you spray you can mix it at the strength that it reccomends for Brambles and then after 2 or 3 days you could remove most of the top growth of the thistles as by then it would have gone down to the roots and then brush on the Roundup at the strength reccomended for tree stump removal onto the stalk of the thistle to make sure that the root gets a lethal dose, 10 days after this it is safe to cultivate or plant in the soil regards Steve.

http://www.myallotments.com

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you keep cutting them every couple of weeks they soon die off. Not hard to get rid of at all.

[kenkew]

I tried Round-up and it was pretty effective but not 100% so I resorted to digging them out eventually. Now I just keep an eye out for any showing through, they are easy to remove if you're careful.
Don't forget that Round-up isn't going to stop new seeds germinating and if you're in an area where there are lots of thistle seeds on the wind it's going to be an annual event anyway.
If you're managing to get root out to a depth of a spit and a half then that one ain't going to bother you this year - if ever- so carry on with that....and use a fork, not a spade.

[sawfish]

They're really easy if you keep at them, just dig out what you can and keep hoeing what comes up. Never let them get big and they'll be finished next year.

[Rain]

Thanks for the advice on Roundup, think I'll give it a go. As for thistles being easy...?!@£$%$ Last year all I did was dig them up and dig them up, as deep as I could, and they just kept on coming back, again and again and again.

[sawfish]

Maybe I got lucky. I just kept at them whenever they reared their ugly heads.

I hate my national symbol.