How do you get rid of mare's tail in the garden?

Answer 1

Amicide seems to be a far more effective weed killer. It can kill it in one application but may well need two.

I’d recommend NOT digging where there is horsetail until it is dead for sure. Otherwise it just starts springing up from the root cuttings. Drying or drowning the roots prior to composting is a must.

I've been contacted by Mr Charles Bailey who points out that Horestail is correctly applied to the weed growing on land whereas Marestail is correctly applied to the weed growing in water.

He also puts forth an organic control method, which he says is effective.

Without resorting to chemicals you can control/irradicate horse tail by digging/forking through the soil when it is in the right condition: ie not too wet and sticky!

Once you have removed as much as possible, any that shoots is easily dealt with. Before it reaches 3 ins/7cm high, hoe off an inch below the surface.

Eventually the food supply in the root is exhausted. Let it get bigger than stated and food begins to be stored in the roots again, and round and round you go ad infinitum.

Never touch Horsetail with a mechanical cultivator. If you do you will understand why it has been around for 60 million years

Answer 2

Horsetail is a pernicious weed, and is millions of years old, so it's not going to be erradicated easily. Nuke it once with glyphosate - best applied when the fronds are fully open, then dig it up. You can try covering with black plastic, but in my experience it just sits under there waiting for you to lift the plastic.

Just keep on digging and hoeing, enrich the land, and in about 5 years it will be more manageable!

Answer 3

hi there

I use a mixture of 2.4D Volcano and MCPA weedkillers.I am a groundsman at a cricket ground in Africa and need to control all kinds of weeds.We have a similar weed here and the above combination seems to work.The two solutions are mixed with water and sprayed onto the plants.
Hope it works for you

Answer 4

Stop letting your horse in the garden.

Answer 5

got the same! a gardening friend told to move house.not very helpful i know but it,s that or a jcb

Answer 6

with great difficulty , try Round up weed killer very safe for pets etc. a little bit expensive but i beat it with this . good luck