Published: October 15, 2009 02:35 pm      

Fall is a good time to control thistles

One of the worst weed problems we are facing in Cooke County is the thistle. This problem is usually noticed and reacted to during the late spring. However, Fall is one of the best times for thistle control.

If you take the time to scout pastures that had problems with the weed last year, you will probably notice plenty of seedlings now. They will be in a flat, rosette growth form. Right now they are very sensitive to certain herbicides. So spray this fall and thistles should not be a big problem next year. Spraying now allows you to stop the problem prior to it shading out your grass and creating more seed that will blow across the county next year when it begins to get warm.

Several herbicides are effective and recommended for thistle control. The University of Florida has a useful publication that you can access at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/AG253. This publication has good listing of herbicides that have been used to successfully control the plant. Of course there are other herbicides which are not on that list and they may be used with success, our local dealers are very knowledgeable and should be able to assist you with a choice of product. Always read and follow label instructions when using herbicides.Finally, if you do not want to use chemicals, the fall is still an excellent time to try to control these pests. If you opt for mechanical control, it is much easier to hoe out the weeds now when they are ground level, than next spring, when they are as tall as you are and will poke you in the arm while you are hoeing them. Mowing thistles in the spring is also a means of setting them back, but thistles are prone to re-grow and will begin to set flowers near the ground, making it extremely difficult to eliminate seed production.

Fall CEU Program

If you have been waiting for an opportunity to obtain continuing education units for your TDA pesticide license requirements at a night meeting, this is your chance! Monday, October 26, beginning at 6:00 P.M. we will offer a 3 hour program at the Downard-Fairplains Community Center. There will be one CEU in each of these categories: Laws and Regs, General, Drift Minimization

A useful and interesting set of topics will be offered. Ross Cantrell from Estes Chemical will speak on the use of adjutants; Henry Krusekopf, TDA Field Inspector, will speak about pesticide laws; and Dr. James Rogers from the Noble Foundation will speak about Grass Nitrogen Use Efficiency.

Directions: From Anthony Street in Gainesville, go South on CR 2071 for 5.2 miles. The Building will be on the West side of the road. From I 35: Take the Spring Creek Road exit, 491. Go East, until it dead ends into FM 2071. Go South, look for the Community Center on the West side of the road.

County Extension Agent Wayne Becker may be contacted at the Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Cooke County at 301 South Chestnut in Gainesville. He may also be contacted via e-mail at wbecker@ag.tamu.edu or by phone at (940) 668-5412.