Thistle removal project

Lawns in this neck of the woods (northeastern Ohio) are huge and the vast majority are  immaculately mowed and trimmed.  My Mom's yard/lawn included.  I couldn't tell you how big Mom's lawn is in square feet or acres, but a neighbor mows it frequently with a big and fast riding mower, and it takes him over an hour.

Being out in the country and all, my Mom's lawn has some weeds, including the very-hard-to-get-rid-of thistle.   For the past couple of days, Jim and I have been hand pulling thistles, even though Mom told us to stop because it's useless.  We have pulled -- no lie -- about 1500 thistles.  I know because I put 100 thistles in a large white bucket and estimated from there.  And I've always been good at those contests where you guess how many candies/coins/whatevers are in the glass bottle.

Since it's rained so much we've gotten the tap roots out on many of the thistles; we're hoping the others get discouraged and decide not to return.  That may be wishful thinking.  I read on line that you can get rid of a thistle by squirting a syringe full of white vinegar into its center.  A syringe full of Round Up maybe.  Either option sounds more labor intensive than I'm up for. But the bottom line is that Mom will have a thistle-free lawn for at least a couple of weeks.  

Also:  Happy Pioneer Day, Utah!

Mom and a thistle bouquet from her lawn.