Boar thistle killing late on?

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
I was really rather pee'd when I realised a few weeks ago that my nice herbal ley, has started to grow boar thistles. :-(

I have been successfully been spot treating them with Polo of the back of a mini compact tractor. Best session was when I go my Urban BiL to drive teh wee tractor, and I walked behind covering a 6m swath!

However, it is starting to get cold now, so wondering in anyone has any herbicide recommendation for killing the things as we go into winter? Even belting themn back will be beneficial. I'll weedwipe next year, if I can get the ley bit down hard enough to wipe the thistles.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Remember disturbing the soil will increase the chances of encouraging new germination of dormant seed.

Why not chill and leave them till next yr when they get going again, ... later :nailbiting: spring when they will be easier to kill completly , ( just needing vegative growth 'desicated ' from then on),as they are more likely to be in theirsecond year as a biennial.
 

Cheesehead

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Kent
a native to Shropshire apparently :)
Always called them spear or gore thistle here never heard boar now questioning my hearing found the hedge cutter worked well a couple of days ago at skimming the tops off.

Dad still swears by his pecker (not the one you're thinking of but a 3 or 4 inch hoe) uses it was a walking stick as he checks the sheep then stops and pulls the root out when he sees one.
 

Frank-the-Wool

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
I always have my Gore spud, it has two spikes at an angle with a cross bar which acts as a lever for getting the roots out.
Just dig them up when I see them and as long as you can stop them flowering and seeding they can be eliminated as long as your neighbours keep them under control as well.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Always called them spear or gore thistle here never heard boar now questioning my hearing found the hedge cutter worked well a couple of days ago at skimming the tops off.

Dad still swears by his pecker (not the one you're thinking of but a 3 or 4 inch hoe) uses it was a walking stick as he checks the sheep then stops and pulls the root out when he sees one.
I know your "pecker" as a spud, doing the same job :)
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Remember disturbing the soil will increase the chances of encouraging new germination of dormant seed.

Why not chill and leave them till next yr when they get going again, ... later :nailbiting: spring when they will be easier to kill completly , ( just needing vegative growth 'desicated ' from then on),as they are more likely to be in theirsecond year as a biennial.
Because at the moment, the herbal ley is low and the thistles are easy to see and get at!

IKWYM about better growing conditions, my agronomist said use Shield, even now.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Because at the moment, the herbal ley is low and the thistles are easy to see and get at!

IKWYM about better growing conditions, my agronomist said use Shield, even now.
Well Its unusually mild here for mid Nov. ?? if your s or whatever are still growing as ours (grass seeds) are then.... so yes should be ok i guess.

but they still struggling to keep up with being grazed by rabbits :banghead:
 

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