How to Use a Mini Rototiller to Kill Thistles
Have you ever experienced a problem with invasive thistles in your garden? The most common and widespread type of thistle in the United States is the Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), also referred to as the Canadian thistle. Trying to kill these weeds can be very time-consuming and frustrating. While herbicides can be helpful in the fight against thistles, you can also use a mini rototiller to kill these weeds. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
Till Out Thistles
-
1
Cut the tops off of thistles before using your mini rototiller. Thistles propagate by broadcasting seeds and by spreading taproots, so cut them down before they have the chance to blossom and go to seed. Use a grass catcher to hold any unseen flower heads that may be present. Dispose of the grass catcher debris in a way that will not allow seeds to enter the atmosphere.
-
2
Cultivate the area where the thistles were with your mini rototiller. Use the longest blade attachment available for your tiller. Do this while the plants are still young, and till over the area just once or twice. Too many passes at one time with a rototiller will cause soil compaction and may eventually destroy the structure of the topsoil. Mini rototillers are much more effective than large tillers at removing weeds between garden rows without damaging nearby plants.
-
-
3
Pull out any roots the tiller left behind. This is easiest when the soil is slightly damp. Thistle tap roots can grow more than two feet in length, so you may have to dig them up.
-
4
Rake over the area to remove all root sections that are left in the soil. It is possible for cut root segments to take hold and begin growing new plants after being tilled out.
-
5
Repeat tilling in the same area approximately three weeks later. Repeated tilling every few weeks over the course of a season has more success than a single tilling once a year. Again, use your hands to pull any roots that may be visible in the tilled soil. This practice of repeated tilling also assists in removing other undesirable weeds from the area.
-
6
Use a chemical weed killer formulated for use on thistles after each tilling. Mini rototillers only remove surface growth and shallow roots. A weed killer can help kill deeper roots with repeated applications. Follow all label directions and be particularly cautious near edible plants.
-
1
