The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

thistles in blueberrys

dweber

By Dweber

bureau/il, United States Us

Hello--I have a continuing problem with thistles (Maybe Canadian) in my blueberry patch. I have tried pulling them out, but they must have a root system, since I can't get rid of them. I will have to use a chemical, but I am afraid it will go into the ground and kill the blueberry bushes. Any help on this problem would be apprediated




Answers

 

Hello Dweber,

Don't know if this will be helpful but worth reviewing. The Thistle you describe sounds like our creeping thistle, which has an undergound rhizomatous root system and hence your difficulty in pulling them up/out. Rather than spray a herbicide onto the thistles and risk damage to your Blueberry plants and crop I would recommend the boring arduous task of "painting" your preferred herbicide onto the young leaves of the thistles with a suitable decorators paint brush. Avoid dripping onto your blueberries but with patience you should succeed. You may need to do this on 2 or 3 occassions over a 6 - 8 week period. Good luck, Dioon11

26 Apr, 2008

 

Thank you Dioon11 for your input. I made the plunge today and applied Round-up to the leaves only of the thistles. I am still concerned that the chemical will bleed off of the rhisomes and kill the roots of the blueberrys. I will know shortly. I always seem to have something unwanted growing in with my crops. I have quack grass growing thick in with my raspberry patch. (raised bed) Problem--how do I kill the quack-grass without killing the raspberrys. Anyway, I will post a response later if what I did today helps. Thanks again.

28 Apr, 2008

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?