Those darn Thistles
By suspenseful
@suspenseful (40193)
Canada
July 7, 2011 9:05am CST
I am growing some plants, and well I can use Roundup to kill the thistles around the house, the garbage, and around the patio, I do have a small garden on the side of the house where there are a couple of thistles that are getting in the way and hard to pull out without well getting thorns in my hands.
Now my younger son had the same problem, so he sprayed a weed killer but it also killed the flowers as well. They had all broad leaves. That is the dilemma. I do not want to pull out the thistles and at the same time that coriender and that lone strawberry plant that is growing there. Yet I do not want to use one of those weed sprays that will also kill the herbs as well. I mean is that only all or nothing as far as weed killers go? With the lawn I can run one of those weed killer bars over and it will get rid of the weeds there, but this is a garden.
What do you do?
2 people like this
14 responses
@leeloo (1492)
• Portugal
7 Jul 11
Cover the thistles with a back and holding the base with a dishcloth for instance cut the plant as close to the ground as possible, and then remove the root. The thing is thistle have complex root systems that will allow new plants to grow when the roots find open spaces so it is essential to remove the root. Since you don't want to risk damaging the coriander and strawberry you could try only doing this when preparing the soil for winter this saves on the pesticides and you can eat the strawberries without worrying if they have been infected by the weed killer.
Hope you find a solution, good luck.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
10 Jul 11
Those Scottish thistles are the main problem as well as the dandelions. They both have large roots, you cannot just pull them up with your hands unless you have gardening gloves on. If you dig them out with a spade, you risk digging the plants around them. So Roundup would be the best bet since it can be put directly on the plant. If the ground is soft and if I have not stepped on it, they are a iittle easier, but if they go to seed, the whole place is covered with these tiny thistles and I have to bend down and pull them all out. Or could get a weed bar, but then I could not use that grass for compost and I am thinking getting a compost holder or having one made for the next year.
Budget is short for this year.
1 person likes this
@leeloo (1492)
• Portugal
8 Jul 11
I am fortunate the thistles I have had to deal with were normally small and easy to uproot, I looked up the Scottish variant it is quite an impressive plant with large thorns I can see having to use drastic measures. The only reason I suggest cutting it is mostly due to the other plants you have being edible, and strawberries are great in summer to decorate various foods and pesticides are always risky near food.
Whichever system you use I hope you solve the problem.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
11 Jul 11
That would do it, but I would also root up my plants as well.
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
8 Jul 11
Hi Suspenseful,
Well, we can add this to the list of why I don't garden. No talent or green thumb either. I'd go to the hardware store and buy a pair of those thick gardening gloves. Save your hands, and happy gardening.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Jul 11
I went and did. Have not had any problems pulling those thistles out. Now the next thing to do is pull out those roots from that darn bush that is taking over my garden. And no more thistles or pieces of splinters in my fingers. My garden does grow by neglect, and I finally found the strawberry plant.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
8 Jul 11
If you can't get rid of them without killing the other plants, why not cut them down and keep them short? Then you could see your flowers, pick your vegetables and everything would live. Then next year you can lay down weed cloth and cut out places for the plants you want--the weeds will rarely poke through the cloth.
2 people like this
@greenfeathers (1206)
• United States
8 Jul 11
Cut the thistle off ans spray directly into the stem with the weed killer. A bit of bleach in the stem works as well..Enjoy!
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
9 Jul 11
I knew about the cutting the plant, did not know about spraying directly into the stem. I also did not know about the bleach. AT least it will only kill that thistle and not the nice plants besides it.
1 person likes this
@sanjay91422 (2725)
• India
8 Jul 11
I see that a lot of garden lover posted here showing the anger for the weed plants in the garden. I think it is better to go and consult someone from the agriculture department and ask for the right kind of the weed remover.
It is a hard work to take out the single-single plants from the garden.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Jul 11
Well that would take a lot of money and they do have brochures. I mean it you believed in the government doing everything for you you could. Besides not everyone here is stupid. There are lots of people here who know al about gardening and they do not work for the government. I bought some gardening gloves, and waiting for the Roundup to work on the plants besides the garage.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
7 Jul 11
I don't use weed killers or anything else that may damage my garden or me, since I garden for food, but now and then I have a thistle pop up. The key is to get them while they're young and they pull up easily.
If you're afraid that pulling up the thistle will disturb other plants near it, cut it off even with the ground, then watch it and keep it trimmed so it can't grow back. It will eventually give up and die.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Jul 11
The trouble is when the thistles were young, I had a knee injury and had my leg in a splint so could not go and pull on the weeds. Now I can get out those small weeds that were from the large bush on the side of my house, and the regular easy thstles but the large ones are difficult. I find it easy to pull the ones in between my herbs because the soil is quite loose. KIt is the ones at the side of the house. If I pull them, then I would probably pull over. I did break them and I put Roundup on them - but only where there were no plants that would be edible.
@funnysis (2619)
• United States
11 Jul 11
I would use a pair of scissors and cut the thistle out of the way and then see if I could spray the roundup just on the thistle without hitting the other plants.You could also try digging up the thistle by the root with a spoon or spade.I wish you luck and have a great day.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
12 Jul 11
I went and pulled them up, but by then the Roundup had already started to kill the roots. Do not think a spoon would do any good. WE have rather clay soil here.
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
10 Jul 11
A real shame that the only "smart" weed-killer is a human being. LOL Wouldn't it be nice if we had a weed spray, that knew the difference between a weed, and a real plant? I bet if someone invented one of those, they'd make a million dollars!
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
11 Jul 11
They sure would. And on top of it we have natural products that do not work, like for instance lazy rabbits that cannot distinguish between weeds that they should eat and the lettuce that they should not.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Jul 11
They are embedded in the gravel and the rocks that are around my house and also around the side of my garage. Anyway did put some Roundup to them so will see if they are dying now. I do need to get a hoe for my herb garden, but my herb garden is growing like weeds.
1 person likes this
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
7 Jul 11
I have a similar problem in my garden and I have just bought some weed killer but it has been too rainy to begin my weed killing. I have got the number one weed in my garden and it is very hard to get rid of. It is called horse tail. I am going to try out the weed sprayer on a bit of land I don't mind losing all the weeds. I fell very nervous with the areas that have beautiful flowers as well as the nasty weed. I will try a bottle with a cut off funnel. Then it will be easy to totally direct the weed killer.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Jul 11
Roundup kills everything it touches, so I used it on my thistles and left the grass and the herbs alone. I hear mixed reports that it either works in a couple of hours or days or it takes a whole two weeks. I wonder if you have to pull out the weed and then spray it with the weedkiller. It says to make sure that it does not rain in a couple of days, but here we can never tell.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (135988)
• India
7 Jul 11
Wrap some cloth round your hands so that when you pull out the weed the thorns do not hurt you. Uprooting the weed is the only way to get rid of it.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Jul 11
That sounds like a good idea. I did buy some garden gloves, but in case there had not been anything like that I was thinking of seeing if I could find a pair of my husband's old work gloves down in the basement. I did spray the weeds. I do not know how long it will take before they are caput. Have to go out tomorrow and see if they are gasping for air.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Jul 11
These are not kitchen dishwashing gloves. They are made of kid leather and I do not think just cloth does any good. Again, I am not talking about kitchen dishwashing gloves. Where did you ever get the idea since I did not mention it in my first post?
1 person likes this
@allknowing (135988)
• India
8 Jul 11
Gloves are made of rubber and the thorns can go through. Therefore I suggested cloth. My gardener does that when he trims the bougainvillea plants which as you know have more thorns than leaves! But if you feel gloves can do the job go ahead!
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@classicalgeek (185)
• United States
7 Jul 11
Actually, if they are edible, I eat them. (Cardoons and artichokes are nothing but edible thistles.) Otherwise I let them go to seed, harvest the seeds for the birds (if the birds don't get there first), and wait for everything else in the garden to go dormant. Then I cut the thistle off close to the ground and dig up the root. Next year, no more thistle!
By the way, I have not used either artificial fertilizers, pesticides or weed killers for over 40 years and I have a gorgeous, lush garden. Organic techniques really work!
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
8 Jul 11
Those Scottish thistles go to seed rather easily. I think the Russian thistles are edible, but they are easy to pull up. The Scottish ones have long roots. I do not know if they are edible, but maybe if you roast them. But then I live in a city where we have a grocery store about less then a mile away, not in the country where it is a long way to the nearest town.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
10 Sep 11
Funny you should mention this. I have some bull thistle right now that I have no solution for. It decided to grow in the middle of a grape vine that's enclosed by a small metal fence a yard high. I have another one growing in my herb garden about three yards from that one in the grapes. I don't like to use any weed killers -- if I have time I'd rather pull them up by the roots. I just learned that the milk thistles can be eaten and are very good for you once you peel the thorns off. Mustard and dandelions are nutritious greens, but need to be boiled to get bitterness out I'm told. I also just discovered another prominent garden weed, the mallow, is also edible and it's leaves can be harvested, dried, and ground for use as thickener in soups and stews. I discovered this too late last spring, but these leaves are very nutrious and I did use a few in salads. Purslane, a summer weed, is another very nutritious food that can be used raw in salads or stir-fried. So I discovered I might be just as well off eating the weeds that grow free and aren't bothered by my animal friends than trying to grow a buffet with much labor that will be enjoyed only by these same animal intruders. So I plan to make good use of weeds next spring. What I don't eat I will compost.
That leaves me with the problem of the bull thistle. I guess I will wait until fall when the grapes go dormant, put on the gloves, and see how far I can reach to pull it out. The one in the herb garden will be easy. I actually think the thistles are beautiful plants, and if they aren't in the way, I don't mind leaving a few for the flowers. But I like weeds and study them. The only thing I myself will use Round-up on is poison oak or coyote bush I have cut to the ground, and poison hemlock which resists being pulled all the way out. I can live with other weeds.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
10 Sep 11
I have some eco;tc;h thistle in my lawn and I pull it out by the roots and also around the back. I have some in the herb garden but do not want to trample the herbs to get at it. We have trouble with thistles and dandelions around here and since I do to I've in the country where we have a long way to get to the grocers, I do not think of using weeds as plants unless it is mint. But my husband got rid of them years ago when he sprayed all the weeds and they never came back and I have been around the neighbourhood and did not find hardly any. I do have a pair of garden gloves and they help. I never hard of the mallow. I guess it does not grow around here.
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
10 Sep 11
Mints do spread and are sometimes harder than weed to get rid of. Very young dandelion leaves can be used in salads before they turn bitter. Our mallows can grow six feet high if we let them, and they are very hard to pull unless you get them when they are small. I wrote a hub called "Shall I Spray this Mallow or Eat It?" which has pictures of the plant and how it can be used. You can find it easily by following my referral link on my profile page for HubPages. It's in the top sortie on the right.