[jacnal]

It keeps cropping up amongst my cabbages, even though I've pulled it so many times...........

[cluckingmad]

Looks spikey - thistle? probably need to dig a bit deeper pesky things!

[Beanzie]

Agreed, looks like a thistle.

[jacnal]

Thanks guys. Will hopefully get to dig it out when the cabbages are done growing.

[WG.]

Looks like an annual sow thistle - http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/sowthistle.htm

Pull it now since it will rob nutrients and light from your cabbages.

[jacnal]

Looks like an annual sow thistle - http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/sowthistle.htm

Pull it now since it will rob nutrients and light from your cabbages.

I've pulled it loads of times WG and it keeps regrowing! The roots go down deep and it's so soft it breaks. At least it's only an annual (that's good, right?), so hopefully it won't be around next year.

Thanks fot the link!

[WG.]

Yes it is an annual.  It is also called a sow thistle for very good reason.  Seeds from just one flower will give hundreds of new plants next year.

[Aunt Sally]

If you're not growing organically just paint its leaves with some glyphosate - it won't like that  :!:

[Trillium]

We have the same thistles here and they're glyphosphate proof. The tops die down but the roots lurk. Only cure is to dig them deep without breaking off the root. Amazing how far down the roots go too. Some roots I've dug were a foot long! Of late, I find the roots curl in the ground so if you pull them, a lot remains to regenerate into triplets and quads.  

[corndolly]

We have a bit of a problem with what I call creeping thistle, its a perennial and the roots will grow again from a small piece left in the ground. As we are organic we use the dig out as much as you can method and when any show their heads we get them out with as much root as possible.

When they appear amoungst the crop, they are carefully uprooted asap.

By doing this we are winning .

[richyrich7]

We have the same thistles here and they're glyphosphate proof. The tops die down but the roots lurk. Only cure is to dig them deep without breaking off the root. Amazing how far down the roots go too. Some roots I've dug were a foot long! Of late, I find the roots curl in the ground so if you pull them, a lot remains to regenerate into triplets and quads.  

Have you tried painting the tops of the root with a dob of creosote ? if you can get it over there. We can only get the EU approved rubbish now  

[milkman]

looks like a creeping thistle to me.  I get them on my plot - pulled a load out from amongst my asparagus on Saturday.  My advice is to just keep pulling it up where you have it amongst crops.  When you clear the crop, dig down as deep as you can to try and remove as much root as you can.  

I don't think you can eliminate them entirely but my thinking is that if you keep pulling them out you will gradually weaken the plant and it's roots will creep off underground somewhere else!