need a thistle plan.

Fritz Maurer · Jul 9, 2019

I got a couple fields where the Canadian thistle got away from me, and they are about to drop their seed. I would like to prepare this ground for winter wheat. I thought if I mowed it right now, while the seeds are all in one area, I could roundup the sprouts as they emerge. I've been studying about thistle control, and I am unclear as to why it should be mowed at 14" height. Or would it be better to just spray them at this late stage? Thanks, Fritz

danofarming · Jul 9, 2019

Cut them down NOW, preferably with an inch of the ground, I like to use a disc mower. This will contain the seed and deter it from blowing in the wind. Disc and sow your wheat when you are ready, Spray with 2-4D Ester in December when you have a couple of 60 degree days to kill the Thistles while they are just leafy.

fixerupper · Jul 9, 2019

Where are you located? Here in northwest Iowa the thistles should be cut down now and the regrowth sprayed with glypho or Grazon in September. 2-4D will wrinkle the thistles but there is a slim chance for a kill unless the 2-4D is sprayed at that certain magic moment I can never find. Glypho will require a second spray possibly after you harvest the wheat next summer. Grazon might get them with one shot but you have to spray every thistle, 100% coverage. That is what I do, other guys might come in with something better that works for them. If you live in the south the rules might be different.

WayneLee · Jul 9, 2019

T agree with Fixerupper.

730virgil · Jul 9, 2019

call it an old wife's tall neighbor Leroy told me if you mow thistles on 4 of July you kill them he did this and the next year he would not have as many thistles

coshoo · Jul 9, 2019

I finally decided that 2,4D was pretty much useless on anything, other than to burn it back. It will come back from the roots the next year, and here we go again. I sprayed Milestone, and got a great kill. And I really mean kill. Its expensive ($114 per quart), but you only use 4.5 cc per gallon (I have a hypodermic syringe wired to the bottle for mixing up backpack size batches). Pretty innocuous to livestock- apparently they can't metabolize it, so it just goes right through them.

Ellis Kinney · Jul 9, 2019

Northern Ky. east of Cincinnati. I just finished spot spraying thistles with Roundup last evening. Don't let them go to seed. Ellis

fixerupper · Jul 9, 2019

Coshoo so Milestone can be used on established grass? That's good to know. I have to spot spray my CRP every five years or so. I mow the patches in early August and spray late September. I can not mow in July because of pheasant nests. Been using Grazon but the suckers are back in a few years. In the row crops the herbicides I use handles thistles, haven't had any patches in cropland for many years.

Hayfarmer · Jul 9, 2019

I live out west, Washington state. I started killing thistles with 2-4D, because it was cheap and you get almost instant gratification. When that wasn't working I went to Weedmaster 2-4D and banville. Still got almost instant gratification, weeds sprayed in the morning would be wilted by afternoon. Still seemed like the thistles were coming back. Weed board recommended Milestone. As mentioned small bottle is really expensive but you use very little. It takes a little longer to see results as it goes to the roots of the thistle to kill it. really good control now if my neighbors would just control their thistles so seeds don't blow onto my place.

DIRKB37 · Jul 9, 2019

My grandmother used to say in the Farmers Almanac there is the "Day of the Kill"
Chop your thistle on this one day and they will not come back. Any other day they'd be guaranteed to come back. Don't know if it would apply to spraying or not.

James Howell · Jul 9, 2019

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]Grazon might get them with one shot but you have to spray every thistle, 100% coverage[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]"

Agree.

We have eliminated all thistles with Grazon and not harmed any of the grass.

504 · Jul 9, 2019

WE did it the hard way. We cut them off at ground level with a #2 shovel, put them on a wagon and sprayed the area around the root with brush killer. We grazed sheep on the pasture hard so it was easy to see all of the weeds.

Fritz Maurer · Jul 9, 2019

Thank you lots of interesting ideas. All of the articles I have studied seem to be in agreement that the roots are the greater threat than the seed. From what I have read, what these things are capable of, what they will do to survive, is kind of scary. thanks again.

ss55 · Jul 9, 2019

It is very hard to kill the roots of Canadian thistles. Spraying them in Fall when the plant is drawing nutients down into the roots seems to be the most effective, similar to killing dandelions. Regularly mowing thistles short or spraying during the rest of the year helps somewhat to starve the roots as there is less green plant to feed the roots and the roots continually need to put energy into regrowing the green plant that was lost. An additional benefit of mowing short is it prevents new seeds from forming.

need a thistle plan.

Fritz Maurer

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danofarming

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fixerupper

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WayneLee

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730virgil

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coshoo

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Ellis Kinney

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fixerupper

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Hayfarmer

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DIRKB37

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James Howell

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504

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Fritz Maurer

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ss55

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