How to Grow Milk Thistle

• The "Worst" Weed?

Milk thistle produces purple flowers all summer, and has lovely milk-white veined leaves.⁽⁴¹⁾

Even if you don't plan on harvesting milk thistle for herbal medicine, you might want to grow some anyway. Why?

• Milk thistle is a source of pollen for honey bees, especially during summer months.^(42, 43)
• Goldfinches love milk thistle and use it for nesting material.⁽²⁾
• Milk thistle attracts butterflies — especially the Painted Lady butterfly.⁽²⁾

Hints for Growing Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is easy to grow in a variety of soil types — including sandy and heavy clay dirt. Although milk thistle is a drought resistant plant, in extremely dry conditions plants should be watered until established.⁽¹⁾

Things to keep in mind when planting and harvesting milk thistle:^(41, 44)

• Pick a sunny to partly-sunny spot.
• Sow seeds directly outside (½ inch deep) in March or April for summer flowering and a biennial plant. Space each hole 2½-3 feet apart. Use 3-4 seeds for each hole and then thin out the weakest ones when they germinate in 10-20 days.
• Harvest leaves and stems in spring, and flower buds summer through autumn. Seeds can be harvested from dried flower heads in the autumn.