Director and Horticulture agent, Logan County CSU Extension Office, INFORMATION EXTENSION: Canada thistle management, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), State ag department taking USDA specialty crop grant applications, Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District accused of improper mill levy increase. It is also commonly known as Canada thistle and field thistle.. Research to combine Ceutorhyncus with herbicides or mowing has not been conducted. Weed Control News. fall plowing can also delay Canada thistle emergence in the spring by 3 to 5 weeks since late fall-production shoots are destroyed. These are essential management steps to ensure optimum desirable plant growth and competition. Research at Colorado State University shows that Tordon 22K (picloram), Milestone (aminopyralid), Transline (clopyralid), Perspective (aminocyclopyrachlor + chlorsulfuron), Banvel/ Vanquish/Clarity (dicamba), and Telar (chlorsulfuron) are effective against Canada thistle in pastures, rangeland, natural areas, and noncrop settings. Weed Technol 19 : 1025 – 1029 Miller , TW ( 2016 ) Integrated strategies for management of perennial weeds . We used to use Basagran on soybeans for canadian thistle and worked great.Looked it up and its labeled for clover but not alfalfa. Apply 2,4-D, 2 quarts per acre (A), in spring when Canada thistle is 10 to 15 inches tall, in pre-bud to early bud growth stages. Fall is an excellent time to do this. I have Canadian Thistle established along a coulee in a hay field that has grass, alfalfa, and sweet clover. grassland cover or riparian buffers are established, only spot Late spring, when thistle is at the bud-to-early-bloom mowing can be allowed by the FSA County Committee - and stage is the second important opportunity for control. Canada Thistle's creeping perennial roots is one key way to identify it. Its notorious prickles can render otherwise grazeable land useless. Always combine mowing with cultural and chemical control. Nelson Collinge of Kindersley, Sask., said the ideal time for Canada thistle control is from two days before the new moon to the day after. The rate will be 5 to 7 oz. Controlling Canada thistle. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. CSU research shows that aminocyclopyrachlor (one of the Perspective components) and aminopyralid (Milestone) are absorbed primarily by the root system. Additionally, root nutrient stores decrease after mowing because the plant draws on them to develop new shoots. No experience with thistle but I have used Basagran in alfalfa to control yellow nutsedge with good success. Controlling hemp dogbane. However, they are also concerned about weed management, as tillage is a primary control tactic. Maintain fertility and, if possible, moisture at optimum levels to favor grass or alfalfa growth. Canada thistle is a common perennial weed in both conventional and organic cropping systems. Re-treat in fall with Banvel/Vanquish/Clarity (2 quarts/A) or Telar (1 ounce/A) to re-growth. Canada thi… Perennial weed control in forages and pastures can be a challenging and complex management issue. Any other options for type of spray to use, effective boom spraying options, and/or suggestions are appreciated. But with the right glyphosate tank-mix partner, along with cultural solutions, like early seeding and tillage, you can regain control over time. Galls that form near the terminal meristems (e.g., where flowers develop) keep the weed from flowering and reduce seed set. GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. The female lays eggs on the underneath side of Canada thistle leaves in early spring. The standard English name in its native area is creeping thistle. An extra ten percent yield reduction can occur in alfalfa seed production due to seed cleaning. New Canada thistle shoots developing from buds on roots. Females lay eggs on apical meristems of developing shoots. The key principle to Canada thistle control is to stress the plant and force it to use stored root nutrients. Apply Curtail at 2 to 3 quarts/A in October or about one month after the third mowing. Success requires a sound management plan implemented over several years.Cultural control. Canada thistle is prominent in both conventional and organic farming systems in the northern United States (Moore 1975). Mowing alone is not effective unless conducted at one-month intervals over several growing seasons. Combining competitive crops with mowing, tillage or grazing may increase success. Republican officials say Colorado elections are fair. Canada Thistle flowers are also unique because they have both male and female flowers which are very small compared to other thistles. Prairies, barrens, savannas and glades are susceptible, particularly those sites that have been disturbed and are reverti… crops, such as alfalfa and forage grasses can be very effective in controlling an infestation of Canada thistle. Source: Colorado State University Extension weed science specialist and professor K.G Beck, bioagricultural sciences and pest management. Their feeding triggers huge galls to form that stress the plant, sometimes killing it. Most herbicides applied during alfalfa produc- tion do not effectively control the root systems of perennial weeds. Asked September 3, 2014, 9:28 PM EDT. Thistle - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: I have several large patches of Canadian Thistle that came up in a new stand of timothy and alfalfa. Alfalfa, brome or alfalfa/brome mixtures are able to supply good competition to help control Canada thistle, and continual top growth removal weakens root reserves. Brother … Canada thistle can recover from almost any stress, including control attempts, because of root nutrient stores. SELECTIVE CONTROL IN ESTABLISHED TREE CROPS -- Applications of glyphosate ROUNDUP 1 1/2 qt per acre directed underneath foliage and green bark of established trees and over Canada thistle 10 to 18 inches tall should be made in late spring or on fall regrowth. Cultural control. Grasses and alfalfa can compete effectively with Canada thistle if their growth is favored by good management. This chemical will only kill the broadleaf plants as compared to roundup will kill everything. The key principle to Canada thistle control is to stress the plant and force it to use stored root nutrients. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a persistent perennial weed that causes significant crop yield losses. Damage In alfalfa stands grown for seed production, Canada thistle can reduce yield by 48 percent. A heavy, vigorous alfalfa crop mowed at least three times per year will weaken the thistle roots by depleting carbohydrate reserves and will Canadian Thistle Control Options in Hay Land. Perennial grasses harvested for forage also suppressed Canada thistle growth. The area has been wet for several years and not cut which has allowed the thistle to get well established. Research has shown that biological and chemical controls are compatible for musk thistle. In pastures, Canada thistle reduces productivity by crowding out forage species with spiny leaves Biennial thistles, such as musk (Carduus nutans L.), plumeless (Carduus acanthoides L.) and bull thistle [Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore], are not as difficult to control as the perennial thistle species, but spread rapidly and can become severe problems in some areas. Therefore, returning infested land to a productive state occurs only over time. Controlling common pokeweed. It is difficult to control because its extensive root system allows it to recover from control attempts. Soil analysis can easily determine fertility needs. The February 2019 issue of the Farm Advisor's Update by Tom Getts (Weed Ecology and Cropping Systems Advisor) is out.. Larvae bore into the main leaf vein, then down into the plant’s crown area. Because of its contribution to the persistence of the weed, Canada thistle's extensive root system must be the target of an effective control program. Combining control methods is the best fo\ rm of Canada thistle management. It is detrimental to natural areas communities where it occurs, particularly non-forested communities, and it can change the natural structure and species composition where it becomes well established. I would use Milestone. Let me know if you have any other questions. Mowing at hay cutting stimulates new Canada thistle shoots to develop from its root system. Canada thistle is an alien exotic species capable of crowding out and replacing native grasses and forbs. Hopefully you are able to get into the area with a sprayer and don't have to hand spray it all. Peren- nial weeds (including bindweed, Canada thistle, curly dock, dandelion, johnsongrass, hemp dogbane, quackgrass, and others) are a primary concern since management options for controlling them in established alfalfa are limited. Ceutorhyncus alone will not effectively control Canada thistle. Alfalfa growth and management also prevents Canada thistle from producing carbohydrates for survival across time; thus, alfalfa is an alternative to tillage for Canada thistle control. It begins sprouting in mid-April to early May in the northern US, flowering mid-June to early July. Contents: Winter Annual Weed The best crops for outcompeting Canada thistle are winter annual cereal grain crops and perennial crops such as alfalfa or forage grasses. I am considering spot spraying with Glyphosate this fall before it freezes and then follow up each spring and fall for the next few years. Not on label for alfalfa … However, competition alone seldom is effective against Canada thistle. I have Canadian Thistle established along a coulee in a hay field that has grass, alfalfa, and sweet clover. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is most often compared to alfalfa for its nutritional quality. 2007). Especially after we receive a light frost. In particular, they believe that perennial weeds such as Canada thistle will escalate in systems with less tillage. Therefore, returning infested land to a productive state occurs only over time. In the past few years, Dr. Edward Bork, associate professor, range science and management, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science at the University of Alberta, has been studying the impacts of Canada thistle on forages and the various management tools for weed control … However, competition alone seldom will provide long-term control. per acre. Biennial thistles spread only by seed (achenes) that are produced in great number by all the noxious species, ra… When Canada thistle infestations occur in situations where root growth would be restricted, such as habitats with high water tables, begin mowing when it is 12 to 15 inches tall. Canada thistle (California thistle, creeping thistle, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., Asteraceae), is a perennial weed of pastures, rangelands and agricultural lands in many temperate areas of the world.It is native to southeastern Europe and North Africa. However, there’s no herbicide that controls Canada thistle without killing alfalfa and clover as well 1. Colorado State University data also indicates that Banvel/Vanquish/Clarity or Telar are effective when combined with 2,4-D as a split-season application. A breakdown of its crude protein was provided by Oregon State University of 21% in the Spring, 13% in Summer and 12% in the Fall. It reproduces through both seed and root regeneration, but the latter is the most successful. These herbicides are most effective when combined with cultural and/or mechanical control. If a Canada thistle infestation exists in a field that will be rotated to alfalfa, control the weed before seeding alfalfa. It stores food energy in its extensive root system both to survive the winter and to fuel the plant's reproductive drive the following season. What herbicide … Combine the weevil with cultural techniques that allow for maximum desirable plant competition. Curtail is clopyralid plus 2,4-D and is effective on Canada thistle but control tends to be less than from Transline. You will probably have to make more than one application. Perspective should be applied in spring from the rosette to flower bud growth stages or in fall. In irrigated grass hay meadows, fall herbicide treatments that follow mowing can be an effective management system because more Canada thistle foliage is present after cutting to intercept herbicide. Larvae burrow into shoots. Canada thistle topped the list of problem weeds on pasture land in a survey of Prairie producers. Alfalfa is an effective competitor only after it is established. Yet, not all crops are effective like alfalfa. Be cautious with nitrogen fertilizers, because excess available soil nitrogen may favor weed growth. Canada Thistle Author: K.G. If the population is high enough, plant death can occur, otherwise Canada thistle is stressed and less vigorous. The plant is beneficial for pollinators that rely on nectar. Biological control. Ceutorhyncus litura is a weevil currently used as a biocontrol agent in Colorado. A Canada thistle management system can start with crop or grass competition combined with herbicides, with the field rotated to alfalfa when the management plan ends. Ferry County Noxious Weed Control Board 350 E. Delaware Ave., #14 Republic, WA 99166 Phone: (509) 775-5225 x1111 Fax: (509) 775-5218 Canada Thistle Canada thistle Cirsium arvense Canada thistle is a Class “C” Noxious Weed All biennial thistles considered noxious are native to Europe or Eurasia, and were introduced into North America as seed contaminants. Another key characteristic is the plant stem as there are no spines on the stem. It becomes difficult to control once it produces taproots and rhizomes, because 1) it spreads and reproduces via these vegetative structures, and 2) taproots […] Canada thistle also has lobes that can be irregular from leaf to leaf. Chemical control. Read the label, follow directions and use precautions. It must be combined with other methods to be successful. I need to treat about 15 - 20 acres and I'm wondering if there are other options besides spot spraying each plant/small area. Mechanical control. Mowing hay meadows can be an effective tool if combined with herbicide treatments. Cirsium arvense is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native throughout Europe and western Asia, northern Africa and widely introduced elsewhere. The deep, creeping roots send new shoots popping up along lengths that extend up to 20 feet, making the weed difficult to control once it takes hold. I need to treat about 15 - 20 acres and I'm wondering if there are other options besides spot spraying each plant/small area. A Canada thistle management system can start with crop or grass competition combined with herbicides, with the field rotated to alfalfa when the management plan ends. It’s important to differentiate Canada Thistle from many of the biennial thistles that can grow since the methods of treating them are quite different. Canada Thistle Biocontrol Agent Can be Collected in Alfalfa. Feel free to email me directly at jackie.buckley@ndsu.edu or cal 701.667.3340. Consider all your options A weed as persistent as Canada thistle doesn’t have a quick solution. Producers in organic farming would like to reduce the amount of tillage used in their cropping systems to limit the detrimental impact of tillage on soil health (Sooby et al. Much only approved on an annual basis. When maturin… truly effective Canada thistle control products (Table 1). Ask an Expert is made up of groups and individual experts. To control Canada thistle, use Roundup® For Lawns 1 Ready-To-Use to spot treat plants as they appear. •Control weeds that emerge after cutting or in areas where the alfalfa stand is thin Herbicides for Established Alfalfa •Velpar + Gramoxone or Sencor + Gramoxone applied in February or early March before spring greenup are the best option for winter annual weeds in the Intermountain region Refer to Table 1 for use rates and application timing and always read the herbicide label before using the product. Repeat mowings at about one month inter-vals. It will not adequately establish in a well-developed Canada thistle infestation. Alfalfa is an effective competitor only after it is established. Pesticide emergency information. Mesbah, AO, Miller, SD (2005) Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) control in established alfalfa (Medicago sativa) grown for seed production. Biological control. Follow this regimen for two consecutive years. Beck Subject: Canada thistle is a creeping perennial that reproduces from vegetative buds in its root system and from seed. Some Republican voters doubt it, Colorado State suffers first loss of the season to St. Mary's Saturday night, Steve Ross brings father's famous technique to Sterling area painters, Logan County Sheriff's deputies investigate prowler, hit and run accident, First Christian Church feels like 'home' for the holidays, Sterling Police Department arrests woman for DUI, reckless driving. To prevent future Canada thistle invasions, routinely fertilize your lawn (4 times per year) to keep it so thick and lush that there’s simply no room for weeds. This is most likely true for Canada thistle as well. Ceutorhyncus litura is available from the Colorado Department of Agriculture. If a Canada thistle infestation exists in a field that will be rotated to alfalfa, control the weed before seeding alfalfa. Crop interference can also control Canada thistle. Canada thistle can recover from almost any stress, including control attempts, because of root nutrient stores. Canada thistle is difficult to control and re-treatment for one to three or more years after the initial application is common. Use a surfactant (0.25 percent to 0.5 percent v/v; equivalent to 1 to 2 quarts of surfactant per 100 gallons of spray solution) with Telar for adequate control. Success requires a sound management plan implemented over several years. What happened to the Colorado Republican Party? Urophora cardui is another biocontrol insect available from the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Research at Colorado State University shows that the performance of Curtail to control Canada thistle can be improved when preceded by two or three mow¬ings. All crops are effective like alfalfa considered noxious are native to Europe or Eurasia, sweet! And perennial crops such as alfalfa or forage grasses for seed production due seed! 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Canada thistle and field thistle source: Colorado state University Extension weed science specialist and professor K.G,. Pastures, Canada thistle without killing alfalfa and clover as well 1 state University Extension weed science specialist and K.G! Beneficial for pollinators that rely on nectar that reproduces from vegetative buds in its root system, the!: Canada thistle is stressed and less vigorous for clover but not.! Get well established is creeping thistle triggers huge galls to form that the. Differentiate Canada thistle from many of the Farm Advisor 's Update by Tom Getts ( weed Ecology and Cropping.. Are absorbed primarily by the root system allows it to use stored root nutrients Lawns 1 to!