Which to tackle first? Canada thistle, one of the most tenacious weeds in the world, proved the most susceptible; the 5-percent concentration had a 100-percent kill rate of the perennial’s top growth. We hope these helpful weed control tips led you to your new favorite homemade thistle killer. A: Vinegar will kill the leaves of green plants, whether weeds or the vegetables you are cultivating. It’s important to differentiate Canada Thistle from many of the biennial thistles that can grow since the methods of treating them are quite different. Misinformation, pseudoscience, and gardening myths are everywhere, and are as stubborn as a thistle. Stir in liquid detergent, and pour into a sprayer. The activating ingredient in Roundup is glyphosate, which penetrates down into the earth to attack the plant roots.When using this thistle spray, coat every part of the thistle with the herbicide until it soaks deep into the soil. Hand Pull the Young Thistle. When maturin… While higher concentrations of vinegar work best, such as horticultural vinegar with 20% acetic acid content, cider or white vinegar work just as well. Pour the two ingredients into a large empty spray bottle. There are many varieties of thistle plants, and not all varieties are harmful to your garden. The other is Canadian Thistle (Cirsium arvense), a perennial. Make sure every part of the root is fully removed, or a new thistle plant will develop. One great way to kill thistles is by using acetic acid. Spray directly onto the weeds. The 20-percent concentration can do this in about 2 … The talk show host responded with something like “that wasn’t my tip. Be cautious about spraying plants you would like to keep with this mixture, because it will kill them as well. It must have been some other guy but thanks for the tip.”. Lemon juice acts similarly to vinegar when it comes to killing weeds. Kill thistle that's growing in areas outside your lawn—like your patio, driveway, or sidewalk—with Ortho® GroundClear® Super Weed & Grass Killer.. Easier to remove than Canada Thistle, Bull Thistle is by no means a weak weed. Acetic acid is nothing more than plain old white vinegar. Grace Wathen is a certified yoga, Pilates and raw nutrition instructor. Horticultural vinegar (30%) provides effective, fast-acting, organic treatment. How to Kill Canadian Thistle Using Salt or Vinegar. This drying process works even faster on a hot, sunny day, so timing your weed control regimen to accommodate this will work to your advantage. Another key characteristic is the plant stem as there are no spines on the stem. A homemade herbicide consisting of vinegar and salt may be effective at killing unwanted thistle plants. The cut allows the vinegar to spread to the roots more quickly, which in turn kills the plant … Just pour boiling water on the … If there are plants nearby that you don’t want to be affected by the Roundup spray, then shield them using a piece of cardboard. An organic poison ivy killer, vinegar is a great way to eliminate weeds on contact, especially when combined with other helpful ingredients like dish soap and salt. The Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is usually the most noxious. Be cautious about spraying plants you would like to keep with this mixture, because it will kill them as well. Some ways you can do this are by mowing regularly or planting ground cover plants in gardens with taller plants so that thistle doesn’t have the opportunity to develop. Pour vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray the plants that you want to kill with the vinegar. A tough weed to kill, the flower heads on thistles possess thousands upon thousands of thistle seeds, which allows them to spread at an exponential rate both above and below the soil. Be aware, however, that this caustic acid should be used with care, like any other spray. Canada thistle grows naturally throughout most of Canada and much of the northern and western United States. This perennial plant has a … When it comes to divesting your lawn of this noxious weed, several homemade thistle killer recipes use natural ingredients that are safe to use around pets and small children. Once thistle has been killed or removed from your garden, use a few homemade prevention methods to keep it from coming back. The lemon juice also has a high acid level, which aids the vinegar in breaking down the plant tissue. It is appropriate for spot-spraying individual plants, not entire areas. Allow for at least three days to pass before you notice results in thistle plants. Wetting the soil is a great way to loosen up the earth before digging. Most weeds respond well to this recipe and die quickly. Vinegar does act as a soil sterilant so you must be careful what it contacts. One excellent way to counteract this is by using a gin spray that attacks weeds at the roots, stopping their ability to spread new plants before you’ve even had a chance to finish weeding. By following these helpful tips on how to kill thistle weeds, you’ll succeed in ridding your yard of these invasive plants and sparing your prized vegetable garden from annihilation no matter which method you choose. After a few days, the thistles should be dead. A common type of weed most homeowners and gardeners hate to see sprouting up on their turf is thistle. Saturating the unwanted plants once a week with this mixture helps control the problem. Knowing the best strategies for how to get rid of thistle will help you rid your garden and lawns of these pesky intruders before they completely take over. Cover the leaves with vinegar, but also spray down around the roots. Homemade Poison Ivy and Weed Killer Recipe Ingredients. The thistle … The key is timing and persistence. A caller called in to thank the talk show host for his tip to use vinegar to kill thistles. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Digging is the best method. Spray the weed once a week until the plant dries out completely. Instead, look for 20 percent vinegar, often sold as a household cleaner or weed killer. Mulch is a material used to cover soil. The vinegar needs to contain at least 20 percent acetic acid to be effective at killing weeds. Spray the thistles with the homemade weed killer. Vinegar and a little dawn dish soap alone will kill the top of the plants but not the roots. Garden waste, such as pine needles and wood chips, also work well for mulching. Many household items work well as a mulch, such as newspaper or cardboard. To recap, vinegar is an environmentally-friendly method for killing thistles and other weeds in gardens, grass, and rocks. As a biennial, Bull Thistle forms a small rosette just above ground level in its first year of growth, before developing a much more complex root system in its later years. How to Remove Weeds From the Yard Without Killing the Grass. The weed killer works because the main ingredient, vinegar, dissolves the cell membrane of the plant tissue. Using Organic Methods Cut down the thistle to its base to stress the roots. Fine Gardening: Six Tips for Effective Weed Control, Mother Earth News: The 10 Worst Garden Weeds, Mother Earth News: Weed Control Strategies, University of Missouri Extension: Thistles and Thistlelike Plants of Missouri, The Best Way to Get Rid of Thistles in Your Garden, Natural Weed Killer That Won't Harm Lawns. In addition to being the perfect weapon for damaging root systems of thistle and other unwanted weeds in your yard or garden, this recipe is also a fantastic recipe for a natural weed killer. Canada Thistle flowers are also unique because they have both male and female flowers which are very small compared to other thistles. Back pack sprayers are great for spraying large areas. Simply pour some undiluted distilled white kitchen vinegar into a spray bottle. 3 cups vinegar. Remember, vinegar is non-selective and will kill the grass and any other plants around it. Straight Vinegar– Though I haven’t used this method myself, I have read about using pure white vinegar from the jug. Using vinegar and dish soap is great basic weed killer on it’s own. The mix … Weeds won't grow if they don't have light, so block the problem areas with some type of homemade mulch. So researchers recommend trying vinegar as a weed killer for special situations such as spot treatment of weed patches between rows of plastic mulch or other areas where contact with crop plants can be avoided. If you enjoyed learning all about ridding your yard of thistle weeds, don’t forget to share how to get rid of thistle with everyone you know on Facebook and Pinterest. Using the pump sprayer, spray bottle, or vinegar bottle with holes, thoroughly douse the weeds you want to kill. A. Vinegar is registered as a nonselective, contact herbicide. The best way to remove this type of thistle is while they’re still young flower heads and haven’t had enough time to lay down as many roots.To do this, use a small shovel, hand rake, or even a fork to dig out the weed. The high acidic level breaks down the composition of the plant, drying it out and preventing it from retaining moisture. Method #1 Vinegar Put your household white vinegar in a bottle, then spritz it into the thistles until they are soaked and are dripping with it. Another great way to get rid of thistle is by using a store-bought weed killer like Roundup. Similar to their biennial counterparts, perennial thistles spread by seeds, but they also expand by way of rhizomes, which includes their roots underneath. Can Herbicides Kill Tomato & Cucumber Plants? Filling a spray bottle with this type of vinegar plus 3 tablespoons of table salt makes an effective homemade thistle herbicide. Canada Thistle's creeping perennial roots is one key way to identify it. Biennial plants are those that grow from seed in one year and produce seeds the second year. I wasn’t really listening, I just caught “vinegar works at killing thistles!”. Method #2 Epsom Salt Mix vinegar and salt until the salt is completely dissolved. This is the easiest solution but is also very effective. One of those thistles caught me by surprise, inspiring me to do this article—that a concoction of household vinegar and Epsom salts can be effective in killing weeds. If the roots aren't killed then the plant will probably grow back. A concentrated solution that contains 10 to 20 percent acetic acid is much more effective than standard household vinegar, especially against older, established thistles. Bull thistle is the more common variety of thistle that you are going to … All thistles mentioned above are biennials, with the exception of Le Conte’s thistle, which is a perennial. If you don’t have a spray bottle large enough, mix the vinegar and lemon juice in a blender and pour the contents into your spray bottle as needed. Pulling the dead plant up by hand ensures that it does not grow back in the same place. Prevent thistle from growing back near other plants by placing wood chips or mulch around them. Canada thistle also has lobes that can be irregular from leaf to leaf. Noting these differences is vital when using proper extraction methods. Useful Tips To Make Your Everyday Life Just A Bit Better. Mow or cut the thistle … No chemicals, just good old fashioned weed pulling. Thistle plants come from the Asteraceae plant family and include several varieties. Fight Weeds Using Vinegar, Epsom Salt and Dawn. Spray one to two sprays of vinegar directly on the cut of each thistle plant. Use this simple solution to get rid of creeping Charlie organically, too. A homemade herbicide consisting of vinegar and salt may be effective at killing unwanted thistle plants. White vinegar will do as good if not better and will be much cheaper. Since glyphosate kills all plants, you must keep application specific. Place the discarded weed into a garbage bag, then toss out when finished. After the plant withers and browns, removing it from the ground, roots and all, is a piece of cake. Because of this intricate design, it’s critical to remove new thistle as quickly as possible, though this often requires the aid of a weed killer … Sorry for the vagueness. Vinegar is a commonly-recommended solution for weeds, especially for tough ones such as thistles. The problem with other types of thistles, is it is impossible to eliminate without getting every little bit of it out of the soil. Apply this solution over the weeds using the spray bottle, making sure you coat every part of the plant. Because thistle has sharp prickles, make sure you've covered exposed skin to prevent injury. You don’t need to soak them so they are dripping wet but spray an even coat. Before you begin, it’s essential to know that there are two main types of thistles and two distinct ways of attacking these weeds. The first is Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), also known as spear thistle, which is a biennial plant. There are three distinct life stages that pertain to management of thistle. Will this kill the junipers, too? Basic Weed Killing Formula with Vinegar Canadian Thistle, or any perennial thistles, exhibit a much more extensive root system than their biennial cousins. Knowing what kills thistles and how to use these ingredients properly is your first step to a weed-free lawn. This cool season perennial (Zones 2-8), known for its difficulty to kill and its desire to take over your garden completely and totally, is a scourge for gardeners. Considered an unwanted weed by most gardeners, thistles can be controlled with homemade herbicides, uprooting and prevention. I have been told that a solution of water and vinegar will kill the thistles. Alternatively, you can make your own bleach based homemade weed killer with the above recipe but substitute bleach in place of the lemon juice. This causes the plant to dry out or burn. A homemade herbicide consisting of vinegar and salt may be effective at killing unwanted thistle plants. Her tutorial is great, and we did a little research on the formula. The spray formula reaches the roots to begin killing thistle quickly, and continues to kill at the roots to keep it from coming back. Epsom salt is not real salt, but is a mineral compound that will not kill plants but will actually act as a fertilizer. Take care not to spray your desirable plants; however, since many of these weed control solutions will also take out any other vegetation in the area. This variety of thistle grows by spreading, giving it the nickname creeping thistle. We found this basic homemade weed killer recipe at ‘Saving Cent by Cent‘. Canada thistle has small flowers and long triangular-shaped leaves with pointy tips on the end. For best results, don't use food-grade, 5 percent vinegar. You can dig them up the best you can and then spray the area with vinegar. 1 tablespoon liquid detergent or soap (I use Dawn) for stick-to-itiveness. 1/2 cup salt. No spam! Directions. She has been sharing her expertise on the above topics through online publishers since 2007. If they’ve started to wilt and brown, they are ready to be pulled from the ground. Spray onto the green growing leaves of the plants. Thistle is a perennial flowering plant with sharp prickles all over the leaves and other areas of the plant. Using chemical herbicides that require no mixing or preparation ahead of time, these commercial products eliminate common weeds like dandelions and thistle without a problem. This has worked so well that after several applications the thistle shrivels up, dies, root and all. Her dedication to health and wellness motivated her to organize and build several community gardens in Utah, Oregon and Nevada. It’s a well regarded recipe for killing weeds without chemicals, but a couple of cautions. This section includes Epsom salt and other home made weed killer recipe options that feature vinegar. Because of this intricate design, it’s critical to remove new thistle as quickly as possible, though this often requires the aid of a weed killer to do so. Affiliate Disclaimer: Tipsbulletin.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, Create a Homemade Thistle Killer with Gin, Privacy Policy – GDPR – Medical Disclaimer – DMCA. These recipes are appropriate as a homemade thistle killer and for a variety of other pesky plants that have no business in your yard and garden. Use glyphosate for your garden, and use a broad-leaf herbicide containing 2,4-D or MCPP for your lawn. I experimented with a common vinegar (5%)+epsom salts+dishwashing soap mix widely being shared on the web on a stand of Canada thistle in a pasture. Their roots are strong and resistant, so it is best to first loosen the root system by digging around the plant. A bottle of household vinegar is about a 5-percent concentration. Let us start with Epsom salts. The sun and heat help to accelerate the effectiveness of the acid in vinegar. So your dandelions would be a challenge as are plants like morning-glory, horsetail, and Canada thistle. Corn Meal– This old-school technique works as a weed preventative, but it will not kill weeds that are already growing. Vinegar Weed Killer Recommendations Unfortunately vinegar is not a selective herbicide and can damage any plant contacted by the solution. Apply this in late winter to get a jump on spring weeds. Thistle plants grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Apply herbicides to kill thistle, especially in spring and fall, before thistles can flower and seed. If you can find 30% acidity vinegar, this is the best to use versus the store brands with about 5% acidity. The best time to use vinegar to kill weeds is in the afternoon on hot, sunny days. Vinegar Based Homemade Weed Killer. Boiling Water. The vinegar needs to contain at least 20 percent acetic acid to be effective at killing weeds. To fully rid your garden of thistle, uprooting the plants may be the best option. Perhaps one of the most noxious weeds in the home garden, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) has a reputation for being impossible to get rid of.We won’t lie to you, Canada thistle control is difficult and requires a significant amount of effort to be successful, but the effort you put into controlling Canada thistle will pay off when you have a garden that is free from this annoying weed. Receive the latest Home & Garden Tips by entering your email below: We respect your privacy and take protecting it very seriously. Repeat the process once a week until the plant is ready to be pulled from the ground. Once you’ve treated the area, remove the thistle by yanking it out at the roots. No, you don’t have to go out and buy this fancy-sounding acid, you probably already have this natural way to get rid of weeds in your pantry already. Step 2 Cover nearby plants with boxes or shield them with cardboard so you do not overspray the vinegar onto desired plants. 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