Thistle problem

[Chris/OH]

I have thistle taking over one of my 1/2 acre brassica plots. If i want to terminate the plot and replant in a cereal mix, do I need to spray and kill or can I just till to terminate? We've finally started getting some wet weather and this plot was really dry and the brassica mix didn't fair too well.

 

[35-acre]

From my experience, I had a few this year in my plot that probably got 3-4 feet tall. They seem to be relatively fragile when it comes to knocking them over or hitting them with something. They fall down and tend to die off rather easily. Given the size of the plot I don't know if you need to terminate everything. Do you think it's possible to over-seed and then by hand and knock that stuff down? If you've got heavy gloves you could cut the thistle stalk low and then pull out the bulk of the weed.

Thinking ahead for next year, you may want to remove the tops so that the seed doesn't get into the seedbed causing you to deal with it again.

 

[j-bird]

You till...your just going to bring more weed seed to the surface and possibly turn 100 weeds into 1,000. I would nuke them and simply broadcast before a good rain. Just don't let the thistle go to seed.... This would also allow any surviving brassica to remain as well.

 

[chucker66]

If its only a 1/2 acre go through with a machete and wack them down. There is a bit of satisfaction doing this. Quite a bit as I hate thistle.

Chuck

 

[Chris/OH]

You till...your just going to bring more weed seed to the surface and possibly turn 100 weeds into 1,000. I would nuke them and simply broadcast before a good rain. Just don't let the thistle go to seed.... This would also allow any surviving brassica to remain as well.

I can spray and seed the same day correct? I like the no tilling way as I agree that I'd be exposing more weed seed.

 

[j-bird]

I can spray and seed the same day correct? I like the no tilling way as I agree that I'd be exposing more weed seed.

I do it with gly and hard seed like clover and turnips all the time (just last weekend in fact). However I am not sure about cereal grains....or other chemicals. Because I have never done it to cereal grains....I'm not going to make up some BS answer and steer you wrong. Someone who has done it, or knows better will chime in.

 

[Rit]

You don’t kill the roots only the vegetation when you cut or disturb them. Because it’s a 1/2 acre can you spot spray them? If you spot spray with Glyphosate you will kill them and there will be very little collateral damage. I seed grains and spray over the top of them most years with glyphosate. Not an issue. There is no soil residual with it. You can save your brassicas and then overseed your grains same day. I just spot sprayed a few thistles the other day in a clover patch.

 

[Catscratch]

If they haven't already spread seed cut the heads off and burn them.

They are easiest to kill while in rosette stage during the fall or spring. I would try to time it so that I could spray the rosettes before planting. If that puts you too late into the season then plant your cereal grains and then hit the plot later in the fall with 24d or a similar broadleaf herbicide that won't hurt your cereals. You can also hit the rosettes again in the spring with a broadleaf herbicide that won't kill your cereals. If you plan on planting a summer crop make sure your broadleaf doesn't' have a residual.

Good luck!

 

[St. Croix]

Clopyralid- Will knock the thistle dead along with clover/alfalfa and burdock

 

[Chris/OH]

Thanks all, all great info! I think the plan will be to spot spray as much as possible and over seed with WR, oats, radish, clover mix.

 

[Tap]

Clopyrailid 3 is hell on thistle and I believe its labeled safe for turnip (but check for yourself to make sure).
C3 is also safe on rye.
Ive spot sprayed C3 on a substantial thistle problem for a few years now...Its now very well under control.