Blackberry/Thistle Killers

[Mtn trails]

What is the best killer for out of control blackberry vines and for thistles? Our pastures are getting overrun with both of these and you can chop them down and they keep coming back. I tried to convince DH we needed to rent goats but he nixed that idea. So now it's chemical warfare time. They are taking over the world and need to be stopped!

[mares tails]

The Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board says, "refer to the PNW Weed Management Handbook (http://weeds.ippc.orst.edu/pnw/weeds), or contact your county noxious weed coordinator (http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/About_Us/county_coordinators.htm)."

[goodhors]

If you have removed the large sprouts, can you mow them? I would recommend mowing if possible, weed whacking for hill sides, then spraying Round-Up type herbicide on the new sprouts. You probably will need to apply several applications over the summer, since large root area will have plenty of energy to send up new growth.

I recommend Round-Up, since the chemicals start breaking down within 24 hours, do not poison the soil for years as others do. You could check for the same chemicals, in other less expensive weed killers. Pronto sold in TSC stores, is the same, just not name branded like Round-Up, costs less.

Buy the concentrates, then mix in your own sprayers. Much less expensive. Spray the plant growth until the spray is running off. Usually takes at LEAST 14 days to show wilting. I reapply at 21 days, if not wilted enough or new growth is showing, especially useful on my Poison Ivy.

New sprayers with electric hand spray is VERY handy. You just hold down the trigger, spray keeps coming. Meijers sells a cap, hose, sprayer to put on a gallon bottle, for about $7. So handy, saves your hands on big areas. I have an electric sprayer on wheels that holds a couple gallons, for doing fencelines. $10 from the Box stores.

Could also buy an electric sprayer, use it for fly spray on the horses!

My fields have finally gotten nice, but took a while and constant attention to the brush along the fences. Good luck with your pesky brush.

[CatOnLap]

my experience is that for the roundup to work on established blackberries- you have to mow them to the ground first and spray when the new shoots are 6-12 inches. You may need to repeat it in several months as the roots may survive enough to regrow. The result of round up on mature 6 foot tall canes was to whither and deform the new growth and encourage the development of more young canes from the roots.

[Mrs. Cowboy]

But they're doing a superb job! I just reclaimed about 300 square feet of pasture that had previously been lost to overgrown blackberries. Staked the goats out for a few weeks, and then once the bushes were down to woody stems, we "mowed" over them with the 4WD. The horses seem to keep them back now...they like the small new shoots, just not the woody stuff.

[Calvincrowe]

Roundup won't touch them... not here in the land of Blackberry Hell. We use Crossbow mixed with a "spreader/sticker" to help it adhere, as per our county extension agent's advice. The sticker stuff allows the Crossbow to stick to the fuzzy leaves to really ensure Blackberry Death. Spray them as they start leafing out in the spring and just before the cold hits in the fall.

Mow, mow, mow during summer's grass/blackberry growth, then hit them again in the fall. This regime has allowed us to clear an acres of solid blackberries from our back fields.

Thistles respond well to this as well. Do not let thistles flower!! They spread so easily. Our neighbor's do not manage their pastures, at all, so I battle Canadian Thistle and Tansy Ragwort every. single. year. This year? I am prepared to call our County's "Noxious Weed Department" (yup, they have one!!) and report them. They will come out and fine them if the land owner does not manage these two weed types. Ah, sweet revenge :lol:

[molliwog]

Roundup won't touch blackberries.

You need to use Crossbow, and as other folks have indicated, mow like crazy.

Goats actually work much better- Crossbow is nasty stuff.

[Calvincrowe]

Yeah, Crossbow is awesome, but my extension agent said (and the label agrees) that it is the most effective agent. You use less of it for a greater effect than repeatedly spraying with a lesser herbicide. Velpar is even better than Crossbow, but you need a license to buy it in Washington (can get it "over the counter" in Oregon though). Kills bberries dead, first time out. Of course, it kills every other living plant it touches, too...well, not grass, but you get the idea!

When you have as many blackberries as you can get here in WA, goats sometimes need chemical help to control them.

[Tamara in TN]

[QUOTE=Mtn trails;3987804]What is the best killer for out of control blackberry vines and for thistles? Our pastures are getting overrun with both of these and you can chop them down and they keep coming back.

yep...cause one spreads underground and the other makes 10 milllion wind borne seeds...

depending on the size of your ground,roundup in a handsprayer or bigger....and you MUST pop these things when they are short and vigoriously growing....as roundup is foliar and then absorbs into the roots...

whatever you do avoid disking or plowing unless it's a doomsday situation...you'll spread them everywhere....

edited to add...I will defer to the your local posters on crossbow...but Roundup gets 'er done for us...

good luck....

[MikeP]

Along with Crossbow, there's a weed killer named "Remedy" that's specific for blackberrys and dewberrys. I've used it with good results and it may be somewhat easier to get than Crossbow. Remedy will also kill thistles, as will a number of other products like Weedmaster.

Roundup kills almost everything it touches including most grasses, so I wouldn't use Roundup to broadcast spray on pastures. Remedy or Weedmaster won't hurt grass.

[yellow-horse]

I've used remedy in the past, i found tho that goats do a very good job, too bad your husband wouldn't consider renting a few goats. Well I quess then you'd get rid of the blackberries but have to fix the fences.

[Robin@DHH]

If folks prefer an organic approach, there is some extension work on control
of thistle that shows that really strong acetic acid (vinegar, but much too strong
for food use) will kill the thistles. You would have to ask an organic farmer
where to buy it, but it will kill thistle when sprayed on and it will meet organic
standards.

[IPHF]

Unless you want goats jumping on the top of your truck and running rampant all over your LIFE, DON'T GET GOATS. They are incorrigble~ will NEVERNEVER have them again!