How do I kill bull thistle?

Question

I've already tried an assortment of pesticides with no effect.

Sorry it's early. I didn't mean pesticides, but rather WEED KILLERS like Round Up and such. The people in the Wal Mart garden section know me by name now-lol

Oh and these are also growing in my toddlers playground area, so I really need to be careful of what I use.

Answer 1

Bull thistle are very hard to rid of. They require a selective herbicide. The one used in my county in Colorado is called torradon. It targets specifically thistle. You may want to call your local soil extension office. Thistles in most state are consider a highly noxious weed. The extension office can give you lots of info and in some county's they help with the cost to eradicate. Being in your toddlers area is not too much to be concerned with , follow the directions and it will give you a time in which people and pets can return to a treated area, in general it is just a day or two.
Good luck and God Bless
thistle are real Boogers!
Grandma

Answer 2

How To Kill Thistle

Answer 3

My experience has been that it is pretty tough, too, although
*some* herbicide should kill it. One site explained that
RoundUp (glyphosate) was "less effective" in controlling
thistle, but that Tordon 22K (picloram) gave very good control.
The downside is that unlike RoundUp, Tordon is a persistent
soil active chemical.

The "WeedAlert.com" site suggests that when they are
actively growing (from rosette to flowering stage), they
"can be controlled with a postemergent herbicide application".
Maybe it's a matter of *when* the herbicide is applied.

You might consider "mechanical destruction" -- pull it out or
cut it down -- but you'll need to keep the seeds from being
released. [You can't just cut it down, but you have to dispose
of the crowns or they will just re-seed new plants.]

Here is the recommendation from the National Park Service:

------------------
How do you get rid of it?

* The plants are cut off at ground level before the flower heads turn purple to stop seed production.
* If heads have turned purple, they are cut off and placed in bags. Once heads are purple, the seeds continue to develop. If not bagged, these seeds would mature and blow free. Some would germinate, spreading the plants.
* Dead plants can be left on site, but any purple flower heads must be removed in bags and burned.
* Prevention is the most cost effective approach. After any type of ground disturbance, quickly seed with desirable species to minimize the opportunity for bull thistle to become established.

Answer 4

dig it up and spray deisal gas or weed killer where you dug it up at to make sure it doesnt come back!

Answer 5

I had this problem and used a flame thrower, never had any problem since.

Answer 6

I have a shot gun you can borrow...