Weed ID

[DouginUtah]

Who can identify this weed?

I have a million of these growing in my field--not an exaggeration.

They were rototilled last year but are more prevalent this year.

[Bro. Noble]

Looks to me to be a dandilion

[Radar67]

I second Bro Noble!

[Gary_C]

Could be Bull or Canadian Thistle. Is that short points I see on the leaves?

Could also be Burdock.

Rototilling will just replant them. Spray them or get some goats.  :D :D

If you do spray, get them early. They are troublesome to kill after they get bigger. Well even when they are smaller too.  ;D ;D

[Cedarman]

Wild lettuce?

[Coon]

That is called SOW THISTLE and I know that for a fact.  It is very similar to the Canadian Thistle.  Do not and I repeat Do not rototill to try kill this weed as it will only spread from little root pieces.  If you try to dig these little beggers make sure you get all of the root or it will come back.  Best option is to get some Transorb by Round Up.  The home users pre mixed stuff you get at your local Home and Garden Center is about useless and will only stunt the growth and set them back a little bit.  If you can get some of this from a farm center or farmer it will work 100% better for you. When I use Transorb I usually mix it up for 1 to 1.5 gallons per acre.

There is also a trick that some of the older organic farmers use around here but it does not always work.  I have seen it work 100% also but you will definately get wet while doing this.  The trick is to wait until the thistle flowers are in the budding stage before they open up.  While in this stage and while it is raining out take a pair of pruning shears and cut some of the main stem off.  This will expose the hollow stem and allow water to seep into the stem killing it off.  The thistle plants for some reason do not like the direct shot of water.  

If you would like some more info about this I can give to you all that I know.  Hope this helps.  ;)  

When it quits raining I will try to take a pic of my nice thistle and dandelion patch.  It has been sprayed just the other night and I am still not sure whether it worked or not as it has been raining out.  We need some nice hot weather here or I'll have to grow webbed feet.  :D

Brad.

[DouginUtah]

I had no idea there would be such a diversity of opinion as to the identity of this weed.

I need to explain more about it. What you see in the picture is all you get--except for it getting bigger. There is no flower or prickliness as with thistles. (Unless my memory is worse than I think it is!)

Are there dandelions that don't have a yellow flower /round seed ball?

[Ianab]

Sure looks like Sow Thistle.

Maybe your climate prevents it from maturing, as it should grow into a flowering plant that looks like a thistle but has no spines. Small white flower and wind blown seeds like a small dandelion.

Good news is that it's edible, the young leaves like that can be boiled or steamed, sorta like spinach.
http://www.sbs.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/science/about/departments/sbs/newzealandplants/maoriuses/food/herbs/puha-sonchus.cfm

Roundup should take care of it, but get them when the plants are young and tender. The leaves get waxy and shiny as the plant gets older and doesn't seem to absorb the roundup very well. Mainly grows in freshly disturbed ground, so it loves being roto-tilled.

Ian

[Gary_C]

Doug, here is everything you need to know. Apparently sow thistle is a western thing in the US and Canada and is indeed a member of the dandelion family. That must be why that midwest farm op guy missed this one.  :D :D

Sow Thistle Biology and Control

[DouginUtah]

Thanks guys.

Apparently the dry, 100°+ days prevent it from achieving full development. They rarely get much over 12"-15" high, and no flowers.

I wonder how much it would cost to buy a goat?  :D  But then, that wouldn't get rid of the roots.  :(

Actually, I am putting on two-gallons of Roundup a day at 120% recommended concentration. I intended to get after it before it matured but it has been raining every other day it seems.

[Coon]

Doug,  Sow Thistle in these parts seem to flourish with the rainy weather.  The first chance you get that is sunny you should spray them beggers.  I like to spray in the late afternoon and early evening before the dew sets in.  Plants seem to take up water at night so they should suck in the chemical.  Are you using just plain Round Up? or is it Transorb or some other version of Round Up?  In these parts Transorb works atleast 100 times better than straight Roundup.  We have alot of Sow Thistle in these parts and at times I see them over two feet tall. 

Brad.