Need help with gardening

How do you get rid of canadian thistles naturally without using chemicals? What are my options like what all can I do? I'm really struggling, and need help to get rid of them.


Having a lot of trouble in my college flower bed trying kill them, and I can't to use chemicals to clear out the flower beds, and I really want to get rid of them naturally. If anyone can help please let me know any advice would be great. Blessed Be,

-Strive.

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Those things are a pain in the backside. Generally they like to grow in soil that's not very fertile though. Reducing open area by planting plants you actually like and making sure the soil is very fertile will help reduce the problem. For the more stubborn ones you're going to have to weed them by hand. Do not try to pull them out. If you do, you risk splitting the roots and two will grow back. Take a pair of scissors and cut the leaves off. When they grow back cut them again. The theory is that the thistle puts a lot of energy into regrowing and repairing but because it doesn't have leaves, it can't photosynthesis to replace the energy and the plant dies.

At this point pulling them up is likely your best option. They sell natural weed killers at walmart you can sprinkle into the soil in the spring before planting as well.

Take them out by the root. Cutting them down will result in them returning. Vinegar kills most weeds. Once you get rid of them, try to fill the garden plot as best you can and cover the empty soil with wood chips so no weeds can seed themselves in your garden.

Any other things I can do??

Pull out what you can, then put newspaper, 4-5 layers, around your plants. Then cover with mulch. This prevents light from coming through and keeps the weeds from growing. I've used this method and it really works. There's no changing the soil. Vinegar will change the ph, so don't use that around plants you want to continue to grow. The newspaper will act as insulation, too, protecting the roots during drought and winter cold weather. Its the best idea out there. BB