Canadian Weed Thistle - anyone successfully kill w/o poison?

[Ophelia]

The stupid things were here when we moved here in 2004 and get worse every year. One gardner said there was a seed source close by, and a Master Gardner I spoke with recently said that their root system goes underground. First she gave me her sympathies, then said it's the only thing she recommends weed killer on

So this is the summer I need to do something about them since I have been laid off work and have some time right now. I am newly pg, so I was thinking I would have to wear rubber gloves and a mask while spot-spraying the weeds. The other thing that stinks is a lot of the weeds grow within my flower gardens. I don't know how i'm going to get all those.

The other weekend I just went around the house and pulled all the ones I could see (except a bunch of little ones on one side of the house). Then I figured I would start spraying when I see them come back up and spray the rest I couldn't pull. They are actually easier to pull when larger.

We are the only house around here that has them like this, as far as I know. My neighbor said she sees a few pop up, but she sprays them (people are spray happy around here, unfortunately).
Anyone?

[HeatherAtHome]

Yeah, we have those things. A treat to step on!

We have a weed digger thing sort of like this and DH goes around digging them up every now and then. They come up easy enough, but like you said, they grow from the root so we have to keep doing it. The only place we have them is the backyard/in my garden.

[Ophelia]

The same neighbor was using that weed digger for the dandelions. She borrowed it to me, and for the life of me I could not get it to work.

I thought I had been getting the root or most of the root when I pulled up the thistle, but if it's true that they grow through the root system then that makes sense that me pulling them for 6 years has not helped and they have only gotten worse.

[kathymuggle]

Place spade near thistle. Push down deep. Upturn roots - and grab plant by roots (which are not spikey). Discard plant. Put back the extra earth.

Yeah, they come back every year - but so do other weeds.

Please do not use spray if you are pregnant. I think living with weeds is a good thing (or killing with a spade if need be ). Spray never is. That being said - if you disagree with me and they are driving you insane, spray them next year. No spray while pregnant!

[mrs_mandolini]

Canada Thistle have a long root system that runs underground.. in farm fields it's "below the plow line." When you pull one of them up, if you get all the way down & break the long root that connects all the thistles together, then next time two or more will come up in the same spot.

If you can stand to wait until the thistles have buds on top, and pull them then, you're doing more to deplete that huge root system. Do this for a couple years and you should see a difference. But don't let them go to seed..

[Ophelia]

Yeah, I don't really want to do it while pg...do you think it's still a problem if I wear gloves and a mask?

I have read about using straight vinegar on weeds, but the Canadian Weed Thistle seems to be the cockroach of weeds and I'm not even sure it would work.

How would i know if I am letting them go to seed? Thanks!

[mrs_mandolini]

They flower. Little purple flowers. The purple flowers then turn into fluffy seed-carrying thingies, like a dandelion but smaller & not in a big sphere or anything. Once you see a flower you want to eradicate it ASAP.

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by Ophelia

Yeah, I don't really want to do it while pg...do you think it's still a problem if I wear gloves and a mask?

I have read about using straight vinegar on weeds, but the Canadian Weed Thistle seems to be the cockroach of weeds and I'm not even sure it would work.

How would i know if I am letting them go to seed? Thanks!

I really wouldn't spray while pregnant.

Get hubby to do it if you must, and then stay away from the plant area for a few days. Have hubby wash hand well and change clothes when he comes in.

Honestly, I would wait till next you. Herbicides and pregnancy do not mix.

Kathy

[kathymuggle]

Originally Posted by Ophelia

Yeah, I don't really want to do it while pg...do you think it's still a problem if I wear gloves and a mask?

I have read about using straight vinegar on weeds, but the Canadian Weed Thistle seems to be the cockroach of weeds and I'm not even sure it would work.

How would i know if I am letting them go to seed? Thanks!

I really wouldn't spray while pregnant.

Get hubby to do it if you must, and then stay away from the plant area for a few days. Have hubby wash hand well and change clothes when he comes in.

Honestly, I would wait till next you. Herbicides and pregnancy do not mix.

Check out this link (scroll down a ways):
http://www.bygpub.com/natural/pregnancy.htm

Kathy

[lunarlady]

I use a garden knife. Similar to a spade, but sharp! You run it down as deep as you can next to the root, then cut to get it out. Yes, two smaller ones will grow in the spot if you don't get deep enough, but if you keep at it they will stop coming back.

The other thing that works well is starving them by placing a large rock, peice of black plastic, or a lot of mulch over the area after you pull the offending weed.

Good luck. I hate them too!

[northwoods1995]

I killed one with household vinegar and salt. It turned brown and crispy within a couple of days and then disintegrated. Hopefully it won't be back--it was a couple of months ago.

I'm not sure I'd use salt in a flower garden though b/c I think it can affect the soil for a while. Mine was growing in a sidewalk crack where I don't want anything to grow anyway.

[Ophelia]

Thanks! I may just try a spray of straight vinegar on a few of them just to see if it works. I can't just keep pulling, like I said we have been here since 2004 and they just get worse every year.