12-05-2003, 10:56 PM
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Casoron vs. Horsetail -- Your Advice?
In article ,
(Engquists) wrote:
Unlike most of you out there, I'm an absolute novice gardener. And
lucky me, my first major challenge is trying to clear horsetails from
a pretty massive yard that I've inherited with my new house.
Initially, I tried clipping them off at ground level every week, but
this didn't stop them from coming back, of course, it just helped
slightly for aesthetic purposes. Secondly, I tried applying Casoron
to a few beds after pulling the horsetails up, which has actually
seemed to be helping and has severely limited their growth for the
past few weeks, at least. Since there are tons of them still left in
the woods, however, I doubt I'll be able to do anything permanently to
prevent them from creeping onto my property. The soil is also
extremely damp (I'm in the Seattle area) so I don't think there's much
I can do to increase drainage.
So I guess my question is whether anybody out there can think of other
solutions or steps I should be taking to at least manage the horsetail
growth in my yard, even if I can't permanently stop the invasion. Are
there other weeds or plants that would crowd them out? Should I keep
clipping them at ground level or just give up that weekly chore? Will
the Casoron likely hold them off for a season or will I start seeing
them reappear later this year?
I know the outlook is bleak with horsetails, but any helpful advice
would be appreciated since I'm way outta my league with this
particular plant...
All the horsetails within a mile (maybe within a hundred miles) will have
interconnecting roots & share resources; it means that a plant that is
essentially a creature of organically rich bogs can pop up in dry harsh
ground & do surprisingly well. It could well be being fed by plants that
may be blocks & blocks away. When an entire neighborhood goes
obsessive-balistic & poisons horsetails like a religion for blocks around,
for years on end, it may eventually disappear.
The best & most realistic attitude to take is "horsetail is beautiful."
Because it is. At worst, think of it as like dandylion & invading grasses,
stuff that is never going to be permanently gotten rid of, & may need
mowing. At best, think of it as a natural & attractive landscape feature
that becomes part of your gardening design. Meaning, in some spots you
might as well encourage it to be lush, & select stuff that grows with it
nicely.
Many people plant it on purpose & never regret it, after all.
-paghat the ratgirl
--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/
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