We recently moved into a new home and my garden is completely overrun with thistles—there are actually more thistles than grass! I tried mowing the grass really short, but that hasn't helped much. I'm looking for options to deal with this situation since pulling them seems overwhelming. I want to maintain a wild flower garden vibe, but the thistles are making it difficult for my kids to enjoy the space without worrying about stepping on sharp thorns. I'm also not interested in using herbicides. It seems like the soil might be in bad shape, probably never fertilized before. I'm considering just removing the top layer of soil and laying down sod instead.
2 Answers
Honestly, consider getting a goat! They can munch those thistles right down while your kids have fun watching from the deck. If that's not a go, keep cutting them back before they flower. If you do this regularly, they’ll eventually quit trying to grow. Also, make sure to focus on getting the grass healthier—once that's thick enough, it will help choke out the thistles!
Using a weed and feed product could really help. It gets rid of the thistles quickly and can make your grass look great in no time. Just make sure to follow up with a plan for feeding the soil. You generally want to add a mix of fertilizer and compost to boost its health—both can work together really well.
Great, thanks! Do you know the best way to start feeding a depleted soil? Should I just grab bags of fertilizer at the store or do you recommend compost too?