Grow Your Own Magazine

hello i have cleared aroud a third of my plot the bit i have sorted had a vey large patch of thistles.when we started out these were as big as my son(7yrs) and at least 1and a half inchs thick massive things.anyway we clearedthem out but we are til getting them coming up apart from digging them up (i dug up a root that was at least 2 feet down )what is the best way of getting shut of the devils. cheers

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PRESTON NORTH END
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Keep digging them out. They're really persistent. I still get them coming up after 3 years, but they are fewer, smaller and weaker now.

You need to dig out as much of the root as poss, or they will just regrow. They're like a Hydra, cut off it's head and two more will grow!

There is a rumour that cutting off the tops when it's in flower will cause the whole plant to bleed (sap) to death, but I found this was a big fat fib.

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~ What do I think of Western civilisation? I think it would be a very good idea ~ Gandhi

I had a major thistle problem in my allotment when I got it. I single dug the whole area taking out as many of the roots as possible.(I had a massive pile of roots which I dried and burned! Ahhh what pleasure to se them go up in flames!) I then applied a heavy mulch of farmyard manure and planted tatties. The thistles that I had missed DID show there heads above the mulch but it was easy to grip them low down below the mulch and pull them out. What I missed were starved of light by the potato foliage and I took those out when I lifted the spuds.

This is the second year on and that area is now practically devoid of thistles!

They really are one of the easier perennial weeds to eradicate compared to the likes of bindweed and hosretail so just keep at it and they'll give up the ghost!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)