I have a tremendous problem with thistle in the flower beds, landscaping and lawn. I have sprayed and sprayed and dug and pulled, but it just seems to come back tougher and pokier each time... I have tried to be meticulous about getting the roots as well, but it doesn't seem to matter. Any magic tricks to getting rid of it??
i also have a problem with thistle - coming from the neighbors yard (he's older and the family barely comes over to cut the lawn, much less do any work on the plants and trees that need maintenance - so the back of the property has become overgrown with various weeds). i try to cut the flower heads off before they go to seed...thistle puts out a TON of seeds... it's just a matter of digging them up - and getting all the roots if you can - and continuing to do so until there are no more.
We have a large "green area" across from our house that has a little swamp area and a thistle factory... I'm sure they are blowing in from across the street... So far the score is Thistle 10: Me 0!!
2,4-D will kill Thistle. Most are rooted together under ground so be sure to target all you can. Soak the center of the plant well and all the foliage. Always mix at label rates and beware of over spray. Don't waste your money on Round Up for Thistle as it is a grassy weed killer. Not as effective on well established broad leaf weeds at label rates.
I hear there are a lot of health concerns surrounding the use of 2,4-d... I may just stick with the pulling!!
More environmental concerns than health concerns. Any spray drift of 2,4-d can have very damaging impacts on local plant biodiversity, and consequently also on fauna that depend on these plants for food.