I have a huge Canadian Thistle invasion on the farm. I purchased a 2 gallon jug of GrazonNext HL and have used up a gallon of it already. After 9 days I have more young ones coming up but at the end of the day, I will win the battle! Here is what a good thistle looks like after the chemical application.

What's the difference between the weed killer you're using and Roundup?

Bill.

Broad leaf herbicide as opposed to glyphosate would kill the grass too...

Quote from: j0e_bl0ggs;151115Broad leaf herbicide as opposed to glyphosate would kill the grass too...

Yes, I don't want to kill the warm season grasses or other beneficial forbs so I'm using the wand which is very tedious. Grazon is similar to Pasture Guard and will not harm grass.

Rick, you can thank those despicable goldfinches for a lot of the thistles. They nest in late summer when there's more thistle seeds for their young. Have you considered using common vinegar to spray them? It doesn't have long lasting effect on the soil like salt brine does. Pretty well enviormentally friendly stuff too.  .......Paul H

A liberal dose of napalm will fix that.

I am really sold on GrazonNext HL. My cousin Lowell recommended it to me and it kills them dead. I sprayed way before they started to make blooms so I hope to have a good carry over.

I've used vinegar effectively for herbicide, but... 1) It's indiscriminate. It kills both broadleafs and grasses, and 2) It's harder to cover "industrial" sized patches with vinegar. You can, but you gotta have A LOT of if.

I use vinegar primarily to kill equisetum (horsetail) and dandelions in my driveway and around the edges of walkways and buildings where there isn't any grass or I'm not concerned about killing it too.

Paul

On smaller patches, even if you're going to spray, lop the blooms off and drop them in a plastic bag to be trashed.  Or burn them later.  Just don't let them seed out.

We got rid of 99% of the thistles on our recreation property just by lopping blooms/buds.
It became a morning ritual.

Quote from: Jamie.270;151127On smaller patches, even if you're going to spray, lop the blooms off and drop them in a plastic bag to be trashed.  Or burn them later.  Just don't let them seed out.

We got rid of 99% of the thistles on our recreation property just by lopping blooms/buds.
It became a morning ritual.

Excellent idea! Of course, over a 5-acre or larger plot, it might get a bit 'tedious'. :D

Paul

PS - Are they annuals?

Paul

Now, bramble killing...
spose could do like brother and boil bleach to make sodium chlorate (can't buy any more in EU)

I have around 40 acres to treat 16 of which in warm season CRP grasses with wildflowers and forbs which by contract must be protected. I have eliminated thousands of Thistles this year and just love giving them their last drink of nice cool water then watching them slowly die over a 2 week period. It probably seems a little sadistic, however, I assure you it is not. I use the wand exclusively as the boom would kill thousands of beneficial forbs like sunflowers, Daylilies, Clover, Milkweed, and other herbaceous flowering plants.

Canadian thistles and Leafy Spurge, two of the hardest weeds to get rid of ever. Tordon and Amine 2-4D tank mix is hard to beat. 2-4D takes 'em out and Tordon (as I was told) goes into the roots and stays in the ground (?) This mix also good for Houndstounge, whitetop, Dalmatian Toadflax a NASTY NASTY weed because of it's waxy leaf coating that "repels" most herbicides, but adding soap (I use a "capfull" of Dawn) to your tank mix will make the spray "stick".

Roundup kills everything and only lasts a month or so, Banish or Paramathall (sp) kills EVERYTHING and one application can last up to 5 years. Both require a licence to be able to purchase though.

I hate weeds, even dandilions.

RJ

Years ago there was a weed/brush killer called "SPIKE" . I don't think it's on the market any more. Had to have a "green card" to buy it. Very dangerous stuff. A very small hand full would kill a 6  inch ash tree within a year. It was small white pellets best I remember. Just drop a bit close to the plant you wanted to kill. Rain took care of the rest. You had to wear protective gloves to handle it. Killed starlings like crazy. .......Paul H