[Muc]

Not having any machinery, I am looking for advice on how to tackle the crop of thistles emerging in my four-acre field. It is being grazed at the moment by two fine heifers.

Is there any tool like a shinty stick (with respect to the many Scottish members of this fine forum) that I could use when I walk the land? I have a sickle and a machete but both are too hard on the back. I tried a sythe but it's too difficult  and too slow. A tool that you could swing with one hand would make short work of thistles and it could be used when walking along without too much effort.

I've used a spade with some effect, just jabbing it in and severing the root. I'm sure Monsanto chemicals have something to do the job but I aspire to be organic and I don't have anywhere to put the heifers while the poisons are working.

I've pulled them out (with heavy-duty gloves) when I'm pulling ragwort but some varieties are low growing and anyway, they can pierce the strongest gloves.

The thistle is tenatious, prickly and difficult to dislodge. Now clover (shamrock), that's a grand plant.

[RUSTYME]

a garden hoe , with the edge sharpened with a  stone will do the job very well ...well it does for me !!
 Some cooking salt , a small handfull , poured over the wet stump will usually kill the bugger off.

good luck ...

cheers

Russ

[Muc]

I'll try that. I've a big sack of salt from my experiments in making bacon.

[doganjo]

Nemo me impune lacessit

[Wizard]

I don't know about taking the mick but !!!!

[RUSTYME]

well....as long as they do it with a smile ... they'll get away with it ...

cheers

Russ

[doganjo]

Nemo me impune lacessit

  I take it you understand Latin?

[Muc]

I speak Latin like a native but with a north of the Tiber accent  .

I much prefer the Gallic version though, which if my memory serves me right, says something like 'I might bring my anger into the deal.'
I don't know if we have a national motto here in Ireland but if we had I imagine it would be something like 'That'll do grand' or 'Sure isn't it fine the way it is!'

Anyone like to propose national mottos for other nationalities?
After today's match: Deutschland uber the line.

This isn't getting the thistles cut or the tea made.

[doganjo]

This isn't getting the thistles cut or the tea made.

  Naw, but it's fun

Literally it means - 'no-one may touch me with impunity', but I'm quite taken with your alternatives, Muc.

I don't suppose 'Round up' is allowable for organic use is it?  That's what our friendly local farmer used to put on our fields for docks and thistles.  We had teh loanm of a couple of donkeys once too and boy did they shift them!

[dixie]

I've got a ragfork, its for ragwort but get the thistles out too, its a 3 prong small forky thing!! very easy to use even in hard ground and gets the root out too!

[Muc]

Will donkeys eat thistles? I'd certainly give them a try as I have a neighbour with donkeys and I'm sure he'd let them have a winter holiday at my place.
Also, as regards that fork. I have a flat-tined one for lifting spuds and a round-tined digging fork but both have two wide a bite, if you follow me. A blade just a couple of inches wide would seem to be more suitable. Further experimentation is called for.
Regards,
M

[welshboy]

I've got a ragfork, its for ragwort but get the thistles out too, its a 3 prong small forky thing!! very easy to use even in hard ground and gets the root out too!

I pulled a dock the other day which was growing in a border behind a backfilled wall.
It was a metre long !

[Norfolk Newby]

I had a similar problem 3 years ago. I tried Roundup on a small area - about half an acre - and it did a good job but killed EVERYTHING! I wanted to seed this area with grass so that was OK. However, the thistles on the rest of the field produce seeds so some of them come up in the 'lawn' every year. I now get rid of them with a lawn weed killer used on each weed (not generally) which is fine on a small area like this lawn.

The main part of the field was ploughed and harrowed when I bought it. The result was huge numbers of big thistles. Apparently, if you cut the roots (plough/harrow) each bit produces another plant next year! Not a good idea then.

So, I have been harrowing the land early in the Spring when the thistles first appear, then rolling them, then using a topper to cut the flower heads before they turn to seeds. After three years, I am still getting a few thistle but only about 5% of what was there at their worst.

This isn't a cheap option - time and diesel - but it does avoid using lots of weed killer chemicals. The rest of the wild flowers, grass and clover are looking something like a hay meadow now - which is what I want.

NN

[Fleecewife]

For us a grandchild in need of some spending money has been the solution this year    He cleared 8 acres of spear thistles in 4 days - what a star 
You don't specify whether it's spear or creeping thistle you have Muc.  For creeping thistle constant mowing or grazing throughout the growing season for several years will almost get rid of them.  For spear thistles, you must dig out the whole root just before the flower opens.  This way the plant has finished for the year but has not set seed (but if you leave the plants lying around the seed heads will continue to ripen).  We modified a cheap spade by grinding down the sides to make a long narrow digging tool which is ok on softish ground.  This year our ground is like rock, so we've been using an ordinary sharp spade and making a cross by the root to loosen it before lifting (with thick tractor drivers gloves, handling them by the lower stalk which is bare).  We are still left with tiny rosettes around the place ie new seedlings and we will try digging those out by hand too, being careful not to leave the tiniest bit of root.
In the past we have not been sufficiently thorough in removing thistles and they come back each year - just miss one and let it flower and you're back to square one. Fence lines are especially difficult and behind hedges.
Our sheep love spear thistles because they are juicy and contain trace elements brought up from the depths.  It's amazing how carefully they can eat them without spiking themselves but if they do then the skin damage can let in the orf virus 
We have never used a chemical on the ground here and we are hoping that an annual battle of hand digging will eventually win the war

[Muc]

On advice from previous posters, battle was joined last night and I cleared a small corner of the field. I used a spade and gloves, loosening and digging and somtimes just chopping them up. I think you're right though. Unless I get the roots out, it's a bad job.
Any chance that nephew would like a nice working holiday?