Among the widespread garden weeds, thistle occupies a special place. This plant is known for its ability to cover large areas of a site almost instantly due to its highly developed root system. Simply pulling this weed out of the ground is not enough. It is important to know how you can permanently get rid of thistle on your site using the most effective biological, mechanical and chemical methods. You should also familiarize yourself with the necessary preventive measures.
Reasons for appearance
First of all, let’s figure out where sow thistle appears in gardens. This plant is one of the top three weeds, along with wheatgrass and fillet.
Field sow thistle, also known as yellow sow thistle, primarily grows in ravines, wasteland, river banks, and orchards. This is a perennial plant reaching a height of half a meter.
Pink, or rough, slightly shorter in height - up to 1.2 meters. It has a strong and durable root system, a branched straight stem and elongated spiny leaves. The flowers have a characteristic pink color. The distribution area of this species is fields and roadside areas.
In garden plots, thistle begins to grow actively as a result of the spread of seeds and pieces of weed rhizome.
What harm does
The weed sow thistle poses a threat to berries, fruits and vegetables that grow nearby.
The harm caused is as follows:
- creating factors for the spread of fungal diseases of plant crops and attracting insect pests;
- difficulty cultivating soil;
- slowing down the growth and development of plantings by creating artificial shade and absorbing natural sunlight.
An important feature of thistle is that the root system of the weed grows into the soil to a depth of six meters and sucks out all the valuable minerals and vitamins. As a result, the soil becomes depleted, which adversely affects the quality of the future harvest.
Thistle multiplies rapidly - and this is its danger.
Each plant is capable of producing about six and a half thousand seeds. In the wind, these seeds quickly spread between plantings.
How to deal with thistle in the garden
There are several ways to combat garden sow thistle.After reviewing each in detail, you can choose the most effective one.
Mechanical methods
Mechanical methods of weed control are widely used, such as manual removal and digging of the soil.
Manual removal
This method is labor-intensive due to the characteristics of the sow thistle root system. It can be made easier by using special devices.
A garden fork with tines bent at an angle of 45 degrees is suitable for removing weeds that are not firmly in the soil.
To remove long root stems, we recommend using a root puller shaped like a two-pronged fork.
Using a Fokin flat cutter, you can remove weeds by driving the device into the soil to a depth of three meters. It works on the principle of a scythe, mowing long taproots and pulling them along the surface underground.
Digging the soil
The soil should be dug up in several stages:
- Carefully process with a shovel, break up the clods and feed with fertilizers.
- Using a fork, loosen the soil, pulling out lumps and debris that was not noticed before.
- If the soil is too hard, dig again.
- Bring black soil to the plot.
Chemicals
Herbicidal chemicals are effective in controlling weeds, including thistle.
Products containing glyphos destroy the weed within 2-3 weeks. Among them:
- "Roundup";
- "Glyphos";
- "Tornado";
- "Hurricane";
- "Secateurs."
All of the listed chemicals act according to the following principle:
- During the first day from the moment of spraying, the active substances penetrate into the green parts of the plant.
- Gradually move to the root system.
- The death of weeds occurs due to disruption of amino acid synthesis.
Treatment of thistle with herbicides can only be carried out in dry and windless weather. You should not allow even the slightest drop of a chemical to get on the cultivated plants planted on the site. The drug must be diluted strictly in the proportions specified in the instructions. Before starting work, you should prepare personal protective equipment.
Biological method
This method involves planting green manure plants on the site. These include:
- nettle;
- alfalfa;
- rye;
- peas;
- lupine.
When these plants grow, you should cover the area with cardboard sheets or film and wait until spring. Rotted plants will enrich the soil with the necessary components. Such conditions are unfavorable for the weed.
Folk methods of struggle
There are also long-proven and reliable measures to destroy the weed thistle on the site:
- A month before planting, treat the soil in the area with ethyl alcohol diluted in water. For 10 liters of water, 150 milliliters of alcohol are used.
- A mixture of vinegar essence and salt will help destroy the weed forever. The sow thistle must be cut off, and then its root must be treated with the resulting solution.
- Water the weeds with an aqueous solution of table salt - at the rate of 1 glass of salt per 1 liter of water.
- Sprinkle the weed areas with dry table salt. For each square meter of land you will need one and a half kilograms of product.
- Use baking soda to sprinkle on thistle. When exposed to moisture, it will dissolve, having a detrimental effect on the development of the weed.
Prevention of recurrence
For preventive purposes, several rules should be followed:
- Use only high-quality and clean seed purchased from specialized outlets.
- Be sure to consider crop rotation.
- Mow weeds at the very beginning of flowering.
Compliance with these recommendations will help create favorable conditions for the development of useful plant crops in the areas.
