[newtoitall]

We have now moved into our smallholding and very excited and getting started. All our land (8 acres) has been grazed by sheep. At the moment the grass is quite short but in places has a lot of thistles. Is there any way of managing them over time without spraying. Some of the land will have pigs on next year and I assume they will happily dig the thistles in that field up but part of the land is destined for hay and goats. We will also be planting woodland and orchard so I am not so worried there. Thanks for any help

[Backinwellies]

We have bought a great tool ...... thistle puller ...... a long handle with a sort of coiled end which pulls the thistles ....  we are just taking it out each time we walk the dogs and losing a few ..... hopefully there will be less next year!  (we do now have our first cattle which I understand will reduce them too as they trample them unlike sheep that seem to be able to graze right up to the thistle .... sheep all round us so lots of thistles!

[Greenerlife]

I thought I was on top of our thistle problem UNTIL I had pigs!  I think thistles are perhaps like poppies - once the seeds get disturbed they grow like crazy!  (and the pigs avoid any already there)


I must admit to going round with glyphosate and waiting two weeks until anything grazes.  Then tidying up any remaining by pulling them using a ragwort fork, which is probably the best gadget I have bought (amongst many)


good luck!

[SallyintNorth]

Ok.

Firstly, thistles in hay are completely edible.  The prickles may hurt you when you handle the hay, but they won't bother the sheep, goats, cattle or ponies.

Secondly, topping works, is a lot more environmentally friendly than spraying, and doesn't waste good fodder - the ruminants will very happily munch up the felled and wilted plants.  For best results, top when in flower and before seeding.  If they regrow (many will) and you can top again the same year, you will see an even bigger difference next year.  It could well be an annual chore, however.   

Our pigs have dug up and eaten all the established thistles - but yes, disturbed ground and seeds... 

Some native ponies will eat thistle flowers - my Fell mare particularly loves them.  Our ponies are clearing a lot of pasture for us, one field each year...

[happygolucky]

My Ex and his  brother used to get paid to pull out thistles in thier dads and thier uncles farm.......a bit of a chore though
 

[pgkevet]

8 acres of artichokes and retire rich?

[sokel]

Our goats love thistles, they normaly leave them alone untill the flowers come on then go mad on them

[FiB]

yep I'm out with my lovely light austriasn scythe  ( www.thescytheshop.co.uk every week at this time of year - easy, cheep and relaxing!  Always wait till the bees have had their fill (but before seeding) and hopefully we will reverse the pig effect within a few years!

[Bramblecot]

And my new toy is called a thistle-buster .  Very light weight and a double-edged 12" blade on a long handle.  Off with their heads!

[newtoitall]

Thanks for all your replies. We are going to have a go at topping them and then keep going at them to see who gives up first. It's reassuring that they won't do any harm in the hay or to the goats.

[Foobar]

The old rhyme says:
'Cut thistles in May, they will grow in a day
Cut them in June, that is too soon
Cut them in July, then they will die'

Pull them out in JULY, and they will not return.  Arm yourself with a good pair of gloves and do a few each day. Or as you say, top them ... but also do it in July.


Watch out as the prickles can increase the likelihood of your stock getting Orf.  So better to be got rid of if you can.

[suziequeue]

As above. We pull them in July and they really don't come back.

[HesterF]

We have a couple of acres full of thistles and kept it close mowed last year in the hope that lack of seeding would halt them a little. Seemed to make absolutely no difference whatsoever and they were back with a vengence this year. So I've just paid the local farmer to spray them with his big sprayer thing (he was doing his at the same time). I know it's not environmentally friendly but it is amazing - he sprayed eleven days ago and it now looks like a flowery meadow as opposed to a thistle ridden dump - and much better on the feet for both daft bare-footed children and daft geese (both of whom were excluded for the first ten days after spraying).

H

[Dogwalker]

Is it creeping thistle or the tall spear thistles.
 
One of my fields last year was a forest of tall ones with understory of creeping thistles.
I spent a couple of very tough weeks cutting out the tall ones before they could seed and hauled three trailer loads off to burn.
The goats crowded round to eat the flowers once they were stacked in reach, too tall for them while growing.  They ate the flower buds out of the creeping thistles later.
This year some spear thistles have grown and the buds eaten out at about a foot high instead of 5 feet.  Not nearly so many as last year.
Next job to start pulling the creeping thistle.
 
The rest of the fields that my neighbours sheep are grazing get topped each year in July but it doesn't seem to have much effect so far.

[Si99]

Have you tried vinegar on them? Kills them very quickly and is safe for animals and the environment :-)