I have a question how on earth do you get rid of thistles (the tall overbearing kind with the purple flower)? ANother question: we have a garden area about 1 acre, it has not been a garden for a LONG time and we are wondering what to do about weeds and thistles there. Carol
We eat them here. If you can find a pic, i could verify it is the one, but her knock the pricly leaves off with a cane knife, and but. You get a 12-18" stalk. Cut into little rings(it is hollow), and eat with vinegar and salt and pepper. We call it shadrah(sp?) Roo
You're probably looking at a long-term project. If you don't want to use a lot of nasty poisons, you just have to dig, dig, and dig some more. Any plants that you can't dig up at a given time, make sure to remove any flowers and seedheads. Once on the ground, those seeds can pop up years later. If it's any consolation to you, the appearance of nettles is a sign that you have good quality soil. And if all else fails, consider growing nettles as a crop - most nettles have excellent medicinal uses, and are much in demand. You could probably find a market just for the seeds.
I have read (in more than a few magazines/books) that spraying with cider vinegar will kill them. I know someone who tried it and said it worked. He used a commercial-size sprayer, as he has 1500 blueberry bushes. Do not dilute the vinegar, and soak the plants real good. You must use the real thing, not apple cider "flavored" vinegar. Hope this helps.
Cut them off close to the ground in July when the sign is in the heart. That only gives you a couple days but is effective. Canadian thistles are what grows in abundance in the midwest.
I have used the vinegar......it takes several applications. Even roundup takes several applications. They are like quack grass with the little roots shooting off all over the place and new ones growing along them. I have actually gotten rid of them best right after watering very well and going along with leather gloves and pulling them up. For an acre........I would go with the roundup. Mow it for a while and keep spraying the heck out of it. I would try and garden some place else for a season and just keep that puppy mowed and sprayed until there is nothing there. Roundup is the least noxious of the sprays IMHO, and not harmful to mammals or other wildlife.
Diane, when you mentioned watering the nettle plants and pulling them up from the roots, did you mean when the ground was still wet? Sounds like a dumb question, but this former city gal didn't want to look stupid to my farmer husband! :haha: or anyone else for that matter!!
