Thistles in the Garden

We have tall thistles in one section of our perennial garden. I pull them, but they keep coming back. Is there any way to get rid of them? They seem to grow up through deep wood chips.

Continuously pulling thistles, removing all of the roots, is tedious but eventually effective way to remove these weeds. Pull when the plants are young and soil is moist. Any piece of the root that remains can start a new plant. Reduce future populations by removing the plants before they set seed. Allow the seed-free weeds to dry thoroughly or cook them in a clear plastic bag before adding them to the compost pile. Mulching your garden will help reduce the number of thistle and other weed seeds sprouting in your garden. Or spot treat thistles with a total vegetation killer. I like to cover the thistle with a clear milk jug, bottom removed, when spraying with these products. This protects the nearby plants I do not want to harm. Or paint these chemicals on the leaves to avoid damaging nearby plants.   Whether using traditional or new environmentally friendly products read and follow label directions carefully.

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