Danny D. wrote:
....
Worse. Purple *thorny* thistle weed!

And, I might add, the photos below should show why I've grown
to instantly hate pulling out this purple thorny thistle weed!
....

no need to pull any of it:

1. remove seed heads/flowers (these go into a hot
compost pile or can be thrown away).

2. hit it with a shovel edge to chop it off.

3. dig up the roots and leave them on the surface
to dry out for a few days/weeks (until crispy all
the way through), using a rake you can knock the
soil off the roots or shake the clumps so they are
exposed to the sun and air.

4. keep an eye out for ones you've missed.

5. bury it all down a foot or more.


songbird

Danny D. said:


On Wed, 26 Jun 2013 15:42:03 +0000, Kay Lancaster wrote:

I control it here in my Oregon yard with heading the flowers**
as soon as I see them, and spot applications of glyphosate on
established plants in the fall.

Hi Kay,

I have 5 gallons of concentrated 40-something percent glyphosate,
so, I do have plenty to go around ... but what does "heading"
mean?

I guess that means to chop off the purple 'ball' at the top?
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13420064.jpg

What about the green balls that look slightly different?
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13420070.jpg

Heading -- yes, cut off the flowers (purple) and buds (green).

More often seen in the phrase 'dead heading' which is to cut off the
spent (dead) flowers on an ornamental plant, so it does not 'waste'
energy on setting seeds.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

email valid but not regularly monitored

Danny D. said:

This site says it has a taproot and that "cut flowerheads can still develop
viable seed", but I would have no idea how:
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/ipc/weedinfo/cirsium.htm

The part you cut off is still alive, for a while. The last bit of energy and
moisture in the cutting is given over to finishing the development of any
viable seeds.

It's not only thistles that are capable of this. I suspect that most
of the plants that have this ability act like weeds in other ways, too.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

email valid but not regularly monitored

On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:58:46 -0400, Pat Kiewicz wrote:

The part you cut off is still alive, for a while.

Well, I've read about a dozen pages on the bull thistle, and, it
seems relatively easy to control (as long as you don't let it get
to the level I did).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_vulgare

Apparently mine are two-year old plants (for the most part).

The yearlings only form low-lying rosettes, of which I have a
few. These radiating leaves don't produce a stem, so they lay
below the (lawnmower) radar, but otherwise don't reproduce.

The second year is when they produce the flowers, and then when
they flower, they die. The seeds don't appear to travel all that
far but they have an amazing germination rate (over 90%) so I'll
be weeding them for a few years to eradicate them.

The flowers are a rich nectar source, hence my bee will go
hungry in the next few days:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13422848.jpg

On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 07:50:26 -0400, Pat Kiewicz wrote:

Heading -- yes, cut off the flowers (purple) and buds (green).

Thanks for clarifying. I've never headed a plant before.

It seems that the seeds only last about 5 years, so, of the
noxious weeds I need to deal with, this one won't be too bad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirsium_vulgare

It *only* spreads by seed, and I can prevent that with heading.

Plus, it shows itself a year earlier (as the rosette), so I
*should* have pulled them last year - and then they would never
have gotten to this second-year stage.

Apparently I can eat the stems, but, the kitchen already has
mustard plants all over the counter, as I experiment with what
is said to be tasty and what is not:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13422867.jpg

On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 13:12:12 +0000, Danny D. wrote:

Apparently I can eat the stems

This says we can eat the roots, but, they contain "inulin", which
is apparently a non-digestible starch.
http://montana.plant-life.org/species/cirsium_vulga.htm

It also says the flower buds, young flowers, stems, and leaves
can be eaten. Even the seeds can be eaten, roasted on a grill.

This one says the inner bark can be used to make paper:
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?...irsium+vulgare

This one says the flower base can be eaten like an artichoke:
http://www.survival.org.au/bf_cirsium.php

This one says the purple flower petals can be used as chewing
gum and the seeds can be used to make a light oil:
http://www.survivalplantsmemorycours...-prickly-vase/

For the Scots out there, it's the national emblem of Scotland
(because a barefoot invading Viking stepped on one, alerting
them to the attack).

Danny D. wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jun 2013 06:43:21 -0700, Oren wrote:

And, a nasty purplish headress:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13411198.jpg

...purple thistle weed

Worse. Purple *thorny* thistle weed!

And, I might add, the photos below should show why I've grown
to instantly hate pulling out this purple thorny thistle weed!

1. I knew these dainty rubberized garden gloves didn't stand a chance:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419898.jpg

2. And, I instantly realized these leather & cloth gloves wouldn't
work: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419899.jpg

3. I wasn't shocked when the thorns went right thru deerskin gloves:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419901.jpg

4. But, I was surprised thick pigskin was no match for the thorns:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419902.jpg

5. At the pressure you need to grasp & pull, even the thicker
cowhide gloves were painfully allowing thorns to puncture me:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419905.jpg

6. I was almost out of options, when I grabbed my heavy gas
welding gloves - which hadn't been used in years, so they
were as stiff - and even they allowed a few thorns in - but
for the most part, they were the *only* gloves that weren't
too painful to use to grasp the thorny thistle plants tightly
enough to pull them out of the dry ground.
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419911.jpg

Rarely have almost *all* my gloves failed me - but, the thorny
purple thistle weed was a challenge that dared to be overcome!
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419913.jpg

Any neighbors must have looked at me oddly when I finally figured
out how to pull them out without bleeding, as I held them up in
the air in my gloved hand exalting in my thorny triumph!
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419920.jpg

Wouldn't shoveling it at the root base first to loosen it help out?

--
Natural Girl //(**)\\

On 6/27/2013 1:46 AM, Danny D. wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jun 2013 06:43:21 -0700, Oren wrote:

...purple thistle weed

I think it's a "Bull Thistle" (Cirsium vulgare).

Apparently it only reproduces by seed, but, the seeds must be
removed from the area...
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13420241.jpg

http://www.cal-ipc.org/ip/management...mber=182.ph p
Plants from Yosemite Valley that were cut at the root crown a few days
after their first flowers appeared and then laid on the ground produced
abundant viable seed (Randall pers. observation). Thus it may be
important to remove cut stems from the area.


Danny, I want to complement you on your picture taking. It makes it much
easier for others to understand what you are writing about and
you really seem to enjoy photography. I have to Email lots of photos
of the work me and JH do to the service corporation we do work for and
I've gone through two inexpensive digital cameras this year. I'm going
to see if I can find a darn rubber coated drop resistant camera. ^_^

TDD

On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 11:54:17 -0500, The Daring Dufas wrote:

Danny, I want to complement you on your picture taking.

Thanks. I've been on USENET for decades and on forums for years,
and I believe in being responsive, providing enough detail, and
that a picture is worth a lot more than a description.

BTW, along those lines, I took my black widow spider to a friend
who is writing a book on how to photograph hard-to-photograph animals,
and you should see the excellent closeups he got of her red hourglass
belly and her spinning silk threads out of (her belly?).

Mine are on the top; his are on the bottom:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424306.jpg

Now he wants all my rattlesnakes!

On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 10:32:42 -0500, Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl wrote:

Wouldn't shoveling it at the root base first to loosen it help out?

Yes.

Due to those spines, and the fact most people don't keep gas welding
gloves around the house, I don't recommend pulling them out anyway
if you're faced with a clump up to your thighs of this size or bigger:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424423.jpg

For some reason, I had it in my mind to just yank them out (like I
do most weeds). It's only the *challenge of the gloves* that got me,
since I pride myself on finding the best garden-use gloves for the
lowest price I can locally (my hands are big so not all gloves fit).

I ended up soaking them with the garden hose, shoving the nozzle right
at the root, and going down, oh, about six inches, which allowed them to
be pulled out easily *with* very (very) thick (and long) gloves.
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424351.jpg

If you didn't have long and thick gloves (absolutely nothing in the
box stores would protect you); you'd resort to more mechanical means.

Even with excellent gloves and a good soaking, I had to dig at one
bull thistle clump with hand equipment, to get it out:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424369.jpg

Based on my reading of the habits of bull thistle, it seems that
they only live two years, and that their seeds don't generally
travel all that far (only a few feet as they're very delicate).

So, had I headed the flowers, then I'd only have to worry about
these yearlings (which only form low-lying rosettes):
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424354.jpg

On 6/27/2013 8:32 AM, Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl wrote:
Danny D. wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jun 2013 06:43:21 -0700, Oren wrote:

And, a nasty purplish headress:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13411198.jpg

...purple thistle weed

Worse. Purple *thorny* thistle weed!

And, I might add, the photos below should show why I've grown
to instantly hate pulling out this purple thorny thistle weed!

1. I knew these dainty rubberized garden gloves didn't stand a chance:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419898.jpg

2. And, I instantly realized these leather & cloth gloves wouldn't
work: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419899.jpg

3. I wasn't shocked when the thorns went right thru deerskin gloves:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419901.jpg

4. But, I was surprised thick pigskin was no match for the thorns:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419902.jpg

5. At the pressure you need to grasp & pull, even the thicker
cowhide gloves were painfully allowing thorns to puncture me:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419905.jpg

6. I was almost out of options, when I grabbed my heavy gas
welding gloves - which hadn't been used in years, so they
were as stiff - and even they allowed a few thorns in - but
for the most part, they were the *only* gloves that weren't
too painful to use to grasp the thorny thistle plants tightly
enough to pull them out of the dry ground.
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419911.jpg

Rarely have almost *all* my gloves failed me - but, the thorny
purple thistle weed was a challenge that dared to be overcome!
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419913.jpg

Any neighbors must have looked at me oddly when I finally figured
out how to pull them out without bleeding, as I held them up in
the air in my gloved hand exalting in my thorny triumph!
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419920.jpg

Wouldn't shoveling it at the root base first to loosen it help out?


http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/p...,44822&p=54671
http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/p...,40706&p=10418

Danny D. wrote:
On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 10:32:42 -0500, Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl
wrote:

Wouldn't shoveling it at the root base first to loosen it help out?

Yes.

Due to those spines, and the fact most people don't keep gas welding
gloves around the house, I don't recommend pulling them out anyway
if you're faced with a clump up to your thighs of this size or bigger:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424423.jpg

For some reason, I had it in my mind to just yank them out (like I
do most weeds). It's only the *challenge of the gloves* that got me,
since I pride myself on finding the best garden-use gloves for the
lowest price I can locally (my hands are big so not all gloves fit).

I ended up soaking them with the garden hose, shoving the nozzle right
at the root, and going down, oh, about six inches, which allowed them
to be pulled out easily *with* very (very) thick (and long) gloves.
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424351.jpg

If you didn't have long and thick gloves (absolutely nothing in the
box stores would protect you); you'd resort to more mechanical means.

Even with excellent gloves and a good soaking, I had to dig at one
bull thistle clump with hand equipment, to get it out:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424369.jpg

Based on my reading of the habits of bull thistle, it seems that
they only live two years, and that their seeds don't generally
travel all that far (only a few feet as they're very delicate).

So, had I headed the flowers, then I'd only have to worry about
these yearlings (which only form low-lying rosettes):
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424354.jpg

Those thorns are crazy!! I've seen something similar to those growing on
the side of the highway, but I don't think anyone cares to dig them up. lol

--
Natural Girl //(**)\\

Danny D. wrote:
On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 11:54:17 -0500, The Daring Dufas wrote:

Danny, I want to complement you on your picture taking.

Thanks. I've been on USENET for decades and on forums for years,
and I believe in being responsive, providing enough detail, and
that a picture is worth a lot more than a description.

BTW, along those lines, I took my black widow spider to a friend
who is writing a book on how to photograph hard-to-photograph animals,
and you should see the excellent closeups he got of her red hourglass
belly and her spinning silk threads out of (her belly?).

Mine are on the top; his are on the bottom:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424306.jpg

Now he wants all my rattlesnakes!

{{{{{{shudders}}}}}}}

--
Natural Girl //(**)\\

chaniarts wrote:
On 6/27/2013 8:32 AM, Natural - Smoking Gun - Girl wrote:
Danny D. wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jun 2013 06:43:21 -0700, Oren wrote:

And, a nasty purplish headress:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13411198.jpg

...purple thistle weed

Worse. Purple *thorny* thistle weed!

And, I might add, the photos below should show why I've grown
to instantly hate pulling out this purple thorny thistle weed!

1. I knew these dainty rubberized garden gloves didn't stand a
chance:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419898.jpg 2. And, I
instantly realized these leather & cloth gloves wouldn't
work:
http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419899.jpg 3. I
wasn't shocked when the thorns went right thru deerskin gloves:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419901.jpg

4. But, I was surprised thick pigskin was no match for the thorns:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419902.jpg

5. At the pressure you need to grasp & pull, even the thicker
cowhide gloves were painfully allowing thorns to puncture me:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419905.jpg

6. I was almost out of options, when I grabbed my heavy gas
welding gloves - which hadn't been used in years, so they
were as stiff - and even they allowed a few thorns in - but
for the most part, they were the *only* gloves that weren't
too painful to use to grasp the thorny thistle plants tightly
enough to pull them out of the dry ground.
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419911.jpg

Rarely have almost *all* my gloves failed me - but, the thorny
purple thistle weed was a challenge that dared to be overcome!
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419913.jpg

Any neighbors must have looked at me oddly when I finally figured
out how to pull them out without bleeding, as I held them up in
the air in my gloved hand exalting in my thorny triumph!
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13419920.jpg

Wouldn't shoveling it at the root base first to loosen it help out?


http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/p...,44822&p=54671
http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/p...,40706&p=10418

Nice tools!

--
Natural Girl //(**)\\

On 6/27/2013 12:27 PM, Danny D. wrote:
On Thu, 27 Jun 2013 11:54:17 -0500, The Daring Dufas wrote:

Danny, I want to complement you on your picture taking.

Thanks. I've been on USENET for decades and on forums for years,
and I believe in being responsive, providing enough detail, and
that a picture is worth a lot more than a description.

BTW, along those lines, I took my black widow spider to a friend
who is writing a book on how to photograph hard-to-photograph animals,
and you should see the excellent closeups he got of her red hourglass
belly and her spinning silk threads out of (her belly?).

Mine are on the top; his are on the bottom:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13424306.jpg

Now he wants all my rattlesnakes!


Cool, macro-photography. My cheap Vivitar digital camera had a Macro
setting. ^_^

TDD