milk thistle

[slooky]

have read lots of threads about the curse that is mares tail but am i the only one who has milk thistle. this is gradually covering and smothering my whole plot. it can be pulled or eased out but it has deep roots so just keeps coming
have decided to resort to hoeing and clearing as much as i can for this year but need a plan for the end of the year am thinking either digging totally or roundup or napalm !. has anyone else had this problem is it possible to beat it and if so any tips.

[Nicos]

Not got any on the plot, but I pay loads for the tablets at the health food shop...can you do anything with them once they are uprooted?????

[Polly Fouracre]

Give them to your,or your neighbours ,hens,they will love them!
Anyone with goats,sheep or pigs, they will stimulate milk production (probably in humans too,though I can't think of a palatable way to eat them!!)

[zazen999]

We've got it; and mare's tail, bindweed and couch grass. *Bingo* I hear someone cry.

Originally we covered all the beds in weed fabric, but bed by bed we are uncovering, taking a few inches of soil off, taking all the roots out of that soil, covering with cardboard and putting the 'clean' soil on the top. Then we are planting through holes in the card. Seems to be working as the card underneath isn't being pushed up like the weed fabric was...but when each crop comes out we will obviously redig each bed and see what's under there and get rid of whatever is left.

All the outtakes from the soil - including all roots we dig up will be burnt in a few weeks when we can be arsed to get an incinerator...and the ash will go back on the beds. We've got nearly a builders one tonne bag already, plus various piles that we put aside before I had the builders bag idea.

I'm getting quite bored of weeds though - at least I have a weed free canal side garden that I can enjoy when not weeding the lottie. Pimms anyone?