Thistles

   / Thistles #1  
Grayson Klassen

Grayson Klassen

Gold Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
271
Location
Fort St John, BC
Tractor
John Deere 4020
A friend of mine has a certified organic farm where they grow hay and wheat. Lately they have been fighting thistles but can't use pesticides. Anyone know of a natural cure for thistles?
 
   / Thistles #4  
Depending on the acreage involved we used to use a #2 shovel and dig them out. You must get a fair portion of the tap root and dig them before they start to seed. Will probably take a couple years of persistance since the seeds last for awhile.

Roy
 
   / Thistles #5  
Try a small propane torch on them when it is safe to do so. DNR releases an insect that feeds on the seeds also. Dig them up and burn them too. Takes a long while to get them. Good luck.
 
   / Thistles #6  
The eradication of the thistles would depend on what exact type they are. For example, Bull Thistle reproduces only by seed while Canada Thistle reproduces by rhizomes that are deep and exist below the level of normal cultivation and Sow Thistle roots can be as far as 10 feet below the surface which makes them difficult to eradicate also.

Regardless of what type, it's highly likely that it's going to be very labour intensive.

I know it would be difficult to implement and perhaps even unrealistic, but if you could swing it, boiling water is supposed to work good on individual plants.
 
   / Thistles #7  
All I can say is "GOOD LUCK"! He better get on them before the problem gets to big. He'll always have to look every year to keep them under control.
 
   / Thistles
  • Thread Starter
#9  
A mattock eh? :laughing: Thats nice except very long process. The vinegar thing only works if you distill it to about 30% concentration or so he told me.

Thanks for all the replies, guess sometimes it sucks to be organinc and not be able to just use a bunch of round up
 
   / Thistles #10  
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