Table of Contents
Spray the thistle plants liberally with a ready-to-use formula made for home gardeners containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, triclopyr or glyphosate. Such formulas need no diluting and can be sprayed directly on plants. In a perennial bed, cover surrounding plants with plastic to protect them.
What kills thistles but not flowers?
The vinegar needs to contain at least 20 percent acetic acid to be effective at killing weeds. Filling a spray bottle with this type of vinegar plus 3 tablespoons of table salt makes an effective homemade thistle herbicide. Saturating the unwanted plants once a week with this mixture helps control the problem.
What is the best way to get rid of thistles?
How to Get Rid of Thistle Plant prolifically. Thistle seedlings germinate in empty, unshaded soil. Pulling them may leave a portion of root behind, which will re-sprout in time. Cover it. Mulch eliminates thistle seed germination and smothers new plants. Snip smart. In lawns, snip small thistle at the soil level.
What is the best herbicide for thistles?
Glyphosate: Herbicides containing glyphosate can effectively control bull thistle. Glyphosate will also kill grasses that compete with bull thistle, so treatment with glyphosate should be combined with effective re-vegetation of the site to prevent seedlings from re- infesting the area.
Are thistles annuals or perennials?
All thistles addressed in this guide are annual to biennial in growth form. They reproduce solely by seed and are prolific seed producers. The seed remains viable in the soil for many years. At maturity, these spiny weeds have basal rosettes, purplish disk flowers, and flowering stems that are highly branched.
What animals eat thistles?
Thistles are very good feed with 22-24 percent protein, and cattle will readily eat it once they start. We pour molasses on our thistles to encourage our cattle to eat them, and it works.
When should I spray thistle?
Q: What is the optimal herbicide treatment timing? Treat in late winter or early spring when thistles are still rosettes to maximize spring forage production. While several herbicides are effective on large, bolted thistle, the risk of forage injury increases the longer you wait to spray.
What are thistle plants?
The word thistle most often refers to prickly leaved species of Carduus and Cirsium, which have dense heads of small, usually pink or purple flowers. Plants of the genus Carduus, sometimes called plumeless thistles, have spiny stems and flower heads without ray flowers. The thistle is the national emblem of Scotland.
What do you spray thistles with?
Best Herbicide for Thistles Roundup for Lawns is the recommended product for controlling thistles in your lawn, advises Roundup. While you can apply Roundup at any time, you will achieve the best control of the weeds if you apply the herbicide when the thistles are small and young.
How do I get rid of thistles in my field?
Herbicides are often the most flexible and affordable option for thistle control in pastures. However, like mowing, timing is an important factor for many herbicides. Several commonly used pasture herbicides are highly effective on thistles if applied early in the growing season (Table 2).
What time of year do thistles flower?
Appearance. Spreading roots mean that the thistles form large clumps of spiny leaves and flowering stems ranging from 30cm-1m (1ft-3¼ft) in height on mainly grassland. Dark pinky-purple flowers typical of the thistle family are borne July to September.
What to do with thistles after flowering?
Cut wilting flowers off as they die and cut the plant back very short in fall. During the summer season, it’s important to water in case strong of extended drought.
Is thistle an invasive plant?
It grows throughout North America, and is considered an invasive species in pastures and forestland. However, bull thistle mostly grows where soil has been disturbed, either along roadsides, or in overgrazed pastures.
Is thistle good for anything?
The active ingredient in milk thistle is called silymarin. Doctors mainly use the plant to treat liver problems, but some people claim it can lower cholesterol and help manage type 2 diabetes.
Do mules eat thistles?
My donkeys love to eat thistle buds. Come to think of it, goats will probably take care of the Canada thistle, too, IF you can keep goats in! The pastures my donks are allowed in have NO thistles. 1) Enter your name and response. 2) Click “Send” to post your response on the Front Porch bulletin board.
Is thistle poisonous to humans?
Let’s Begin With Milk Thistle It may look dangerous, but it is not poisonous. In fact, it has an edible stem. It looks like and is in the same plant family as the thorny artichoke, but the artichoke’s thorns are not as sharp and cannot do as much damage as those that protect the flower of the milk thistle.
Is it too late to spray thistles?
When thistles bolt and begin to flower each spring, folks who want to control them call the Noble Research Institute. By the time they call, however, it is usually too late in the season. Thistles can be easily controlled with herbicides when they are young and in the rosette, or low growing, vegetative stage.
What kills thistles without clover?
Registered. Or, spot spray with glyphosate (Round-up). It (can) will kill the clover, but if you wait until clover’s dormant you can minimize the damage. Or, if the thistle is tall, just put the string trimmer to it.
Can you spray thistle in the fall?
October and early November is one of the best times to control pasture thistles with herbicides. Delaying treatment until spring can limit your herbicide and control options. If you had thistles this year, walk out in those infected areas this week.
