Rather digging a new garden or digging up plants from the garden try to disturb the soil deeper than necessary. Sleeping thistle and other weed seeds will be brought up to the surface of the soil and this will help them wake up and start growing. Remember the thistle seeds under the ground are waiting to sprout under the soil.
 Planting your plants closer together will limit sunlight from hitting the soil surface which will keep thistles and other weeds from growing. Planting lower height plants like a blanket under taller leggy plants will look better than just plain soil as well. Make sure your plants aren't going to get mildew or mold disease from such plantings.
 If your not planting the garden into it right away cover it with a thick plastic to block sunlight from causing weeds to sprout. On new planted soils use mulch or be prepared for spotting and pulling thistles out promptly. Consider also planting a cover crop like annual rye to help limit the amount of weed seedlings in the following season.
 Niger seeds is sometimes called thistle or black thistle. This important ingredient in many bird foods made for feeding small finches however is not a thistle but an African daisy species.
Avoid disturbing the garden soil deeply.
Plant your plants in the garden closer together if possible and consider underplanting.
Try not to leave your soil naked.
Know that birds such as goldfinches eat thistle seeds and spread them naturally.
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