Q: For several years I have had a problem with thistles in the lawn. PTTOW! How To Get Rid of Canada Thistle. 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. I eventually killed them off with a lawn weed spray (Ortho Weed-Be-Gon or Spectracide, whatever was cheaper at the time). The stems of Canada thistle lack the conspicuous spiny wings found on bull thistle (C. vulgare) Thistle – specifically Canada Thistle – appears over a wide area of the U.S. and obviously, Canada (Bull Thistle and Creeping Thistle are closely related). Canada thistle grows on an extensive root system that can go quite deep into the ground, and the plant can grow back from even a small piece of root. Canada Thistle is an invasive creeping perennial that creates large patches where established and is a common threat to homes and agricultural lands in the upper mid-west. How to Get Rid of Thistle I seem to have a nice stand of Canadian Thistle in my 2nd year wildflower garden. How to Get Rid of Canada Thistle When starting a Canada thistle control program, it is best to first understand what makes Canada thistle such a difficult weed to control. Here are a few simple things that you can do to get rid of the infestation. This perennial plant has a large root system that spreads out widely and digs down deep into the soil. Treating to get rid of thistle. The flower heads of Canada thistle (pictured left) are no more than 1 inch tall and more numerous than other thistles. Make it too strong and you could kill the grass as well as the weeds. Canada thistle grows naturally throughout most of Canada and much of the northern and western United States. Identification of thistles can be challenging. The best way to get rid of thistle is to use chemical control where possible. Chemical control with labeled herbicides will drastically help with thistle control. The extensive root system makes it a difficult weed … Homemade Solution to Kill Thistles. Wild onions (Allium canadense) can be found in many gardens and lawns, and wherever they are found, a frustrated gardener is sure to be found nearby.These difficult to control weeds are the bane of many gardens, but with determination and a little hard work, you can get rid … Thistle – specifically Canada Thistle – appears over a wide area of the U.S. and obviously, Canada (Bull Thistle and Creeping Thistle are closely related). It is selective and will kill the plant all the way down to the root. They seem to migrate in from the fields nearby. Started as a few at the corner of the lot, and eventually started to sprout up in a line down the yard (like a tank column). Control of Canada Thistle in CRP and Other Noncrop Acreage • FNR-436-W. Some were >1ft in diameter. Figure 1. Canadian Thistle is one tough weed that wants to stay alive and re-grow! 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