On 30 Jul 2019 09:12, Muddymike wrote:
Hi Folks
We are settling in well at the new house enjoying the blossoming of new
(many unknown) flowers appearing every month. The previous owners were
indeed great gardeners apart from allowing the dreaded horsetail to
spread throughout the vegetable and fruit cages.

Any advise on positively controlling it appreciated.

We also have recently learned that those interesting tall plants with
pink flowers that grow all along the stream are Himalayan Balsam! Never
heard of that before, but now know we should be pulling it up before
this years crop flowers.


We had it on our previous allotment. Not a case of allowing it to grow,
you simply cannot stop it if it's coming. Came in a very strong wave at
first then moved through across the site leaving some plants constantly
sprouting. We used to hoe them off or pull them up and this seemed to
weaken the plants so not so many appeared. We never got rid of them
just learnt to live with them. Could be worse, it could be Japanese
Knot Weed.


--
Regards
Bob Hobden