Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Thistles may be the most obnoxious weed ever to exist. I have to cover myself from head to toe so I don't get pricked by their sharp leaves as I pull them. I pull them out as far down the root as I can, but they always grow back. They grow the most on the side of my house that I don't walk around very often. If I forget about them for a few weeks they inevitably grow 3-4 feet tall. Every year they creep farther and farther towards the front of my house where they are even more noticeable and annoying. And when I google the best way to get rid of them, I just find more people complaining that no matter what they do, they can't get rid of them. GRRR!

sorry about that. Time to have a few glasses of wine to ease my sore back from leaning over pulling weeds all day, and maybe I won't be so angry at the stupid plants.

On the other hand...thistle seed makes for very good wild bird forage. If you let them go to seed, then bash them down, the birds can get at the seeds. We have gigantic milk thistle in parts of our yard and though I don't like them much, I always have to remember that the birds do.

Not much help, I know.

Use a shovel! I live on a farm, and digging them out seemed to be the best for getting them to not come back as strongly and also, it saves your back.