Weed Killers - What's The Strongest/Most Effective?

[Hardscrable]

Good suggestion! I recently sprayed down a whole bunch of thorn bushes using glyphosate alone. I guess I'll know in a couple of weeks if that is sufficient, or if I need to add other chemicals (as you suggested) to improve absorption.

Actually killing woody plants are not glysophate’s strong suit. As stated upthread Tordon and other such products are better suited for such plants...”brush killers.”

 

[blain]

Spike your favorite weed killer with some "Brush Killer".

 

[tmschuller]

the best LEGAL herbicide is Speed Zone.

Or the product that it’s made from :
Tzone buy it at farm cooperatives or seed dealers. 1.5 ounces per gallon of water and it will not harm grass
2nd product is a granular that is 1 teaspoon per gallon on water and it will kill thistles and crabgrass to the root. I bought mine thru a Lawncare service and you can buy it online
Not sure how far away you are dd but you’re more than welcome to come use it on my yard.. beer is in the fridge…. Seriously if you want to come get some and bring a gun we can make this happen.. heck anyone else?? Really not trying to go Tom Sawyer on ya!

 

[Creedmoor]

Thistle is one tough plant. We had a stone drive and had it paved two years ago. The thistle pushed up through 3" of asphalt and started trying to keep the drive as their home. Tordon RTU worked on mine.

I've used Tordon over the years to kill rat trees like mull-berry and rose of sharons that just keep re-sprouting.
Great stuff.

 

[canebreaker]

I don't use poisons. I dig the roots up with this.

https://www.amazon.com/Worth-Garden-Stand-Up-Weeder-Removal/dp/B0197TS3IK/ref=sr_1_12?adgrpid=1341404751173066&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JR_b9B8FIFCzvt6nJIPLerf4-czxDlyjNH7dz4cndIv_IzG7hhJNm_DBuD00SafqFUJogwwE6reGcHCp15hkiTkaDvUJDr1ca3rwkQSPB51avFndPMWX1owM97-GQ_CWdDltHHiVVjuna2wgxGrPOSCBd0kfcArzA-MxgaxdZk6v1sCZVoC0yiAL5-8hNP5bcGpnauJ-sQutwsKBDl6n84yvxvQRQNE11l38hkxFh0c7V-CSFDQSfcp-b6oWSbtyfqf-4R4r2Xm126hfyIsRKfBXUQU8v7T2dvnEOim1wqI.R-GRCy7GjUvPrVgUY9gaNECsBgbyQp_oT437P6LlPmA&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83838036319235&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=81425&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83838145510897%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=19873_13379080&keywords=hound+dog+weed+puller&qid=1713456651&sr=8-12

 

[xwing]

I don't use poisons. I dig the roots up with this.

https://www.amazon.com/Worth-Garden-Stand-Up-Weeder-Removal/dp/B0197TS3IK/ref=sr_1_12?adgrpid=1341404751173066&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.JR_b9B8FIFCzvt6nJIPLerf4-czxDlyjNH7dz4cndIv_IzG7hhJNm_DBuD00SafqFUJogwwE6reGcHCp15hkiTkaDvUJDr1ca3rwkQSPB51avFndPMWX1owM97-GQ_CWdDltHHiVVjuna2wgxGrPOSCBd0kfcArzA-MxgaxdZk6v1sCZVoC0yiAL5-8hNP5bcGpnauJ-sQutwsKBDl6n84yvxvQRQNE11l38hkxFh0c7V-CSFDQSfcp-b6oWSbtyfqf-4R4r2Xm126hfyIsRKfBXUQU8v7T2dvnEOim1wqI.R-GRCy7GjUvPrVgUY9gaNECsBgbyQp_oT437P6LlPmA&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83838036319235&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=81425&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83838145510897%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=19873_13379080&keywords=hound+dog+weed+puller&qid=1713456651&sr=8-12

Maybe it works if you catch them small. The weeds I have would laugh at that... I need something to "go nuclear" on them.

 

[xwing]

Actually killing woody plants are not glysophate’s strong suit. As stated upthread Tordon and other such products are better suited for such plants...”brush killers.”

Thanks for the advice. But will Tordon kill mature trees? Many of my thistle plants are near trees that I don't want to kill. And with a sprayer, it's going to get a little bit everywhere.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Thanks for the advice. But will Tordon kill mature trees? Many of my thistle plants are near trees that I don't want to kill. And with a sprayer, it's going to get a little bit everywhere.

Yes. absolutely. But only if you use it in a sprayer. If you cut the plants and paint the cutting with tordon, your nearby trees should be fine.

 

[BigRed]

Or the product that it’s made from :
Tzone buy it at farm cooperatives or seed dealers. 1.5 ounces per gallon of water and it will not harm grass
2nd product is a granular that is 1 teaspoon per gallon on water and it will kill thistles and crabgrass to the root. I bought mine thru a Lawncare service and you can buy it online
Not sure how far away you are dd but you’re more than welcome to come use it on my yard.. beer is in the fridge…. Seriously if you want to come get some and bring a gun we can make this happen.. heck anyone else?? Really not trying to go Tom Sawyer on ya!
View attachment 347537 View attachment 347538

Nice bike

 

[Old Dog]

Thanks for the advice. But will Tordon kill mature trees? Many of my thistle plants are near trees that I don't want to kill. And with a sprayer, it's going to get a little bit everywhere.

Tordon IS a woody vegetation killer (trees, brush, multiflora rose). DO NOT use Tordon to control anything else as it has the potential to translocate to the roots of non-target woody vegetation.

Tordon 22K IS a broadleaf weed killer and is listed to control several thistles.

Why they used a similar name for two extremely different products is beyond me.

 

[Creedmoor]

Thanks for the advice. But will Tordon kill mature trees? Many of my thistle plants are near trees that I don't want to kill. And with a sprayer, it's going to get a little bit everywhere.

I've never sprayed TorDon, I have just used the pull top to wet the cut off plant / tree. Its a dispenser like on liquid dish soap.

I have used it to kill rat trees living in clumps of Lilac's, it has stunted the Lilac's for a year or so and that's the worst that I have had happen. Its killed nothing 5-10 ft away.

 

[TAB30-06]

If you can find a generic form of Clopyralid, it works really well on Canadian thistle. We use a restricted use version around the farm called Stinger.

 

[snapping turtle]

Flame weeder works but those damn thistles and dandelion have extensive root systems and do come back and back. The flame weeder is now amount my favorite garden gadgets. It is like being a giant monster dragon with flame killing everything in the path.

when I now get thistles and dandelion in the garden I have to get out the bulb planter or shovel and dig out all of that root. I am not putting any chemicals into my food I don’t have to.

 

[HuntMeister]

I read somewhere that the thistle has a very extensive underground root system and not to pull the weed up out of the ground as it just stimulates the root system to grow more above ground plants. What I read was to either cut the above ground plant or apply chemical to them.
I had a very large outbreak of these plants a few years ago and was just pulling the plant and they would multiply. After reading the info above, I was able to get them under control.

 

[tmschuller]

Flame weeder works but those damn thistles and dandelion have extensive root systems and do come back and back. The flame weeder is now amount my favorite garden gadgets. It is like being a giant monster dragon with flame killing everything in the path.

when I now get thistles and dandelion in the garden I have to get out the bulb planter or shovel and dig out all of that root. I am not putting any chemicals into my food I don’t have to.

I’ve done this until the kids got a little older but when the dandelions turn to fluffs use a propane torch on them. Burns the seed and it is gratifying.. works. Then spray with brand xyz. Thistle yes tough. I sprayed some yesterday in the parking lot and wild violets ,creeping Charlie Checking on them when I finish my nap..zzz