I bought in 30 tonne of top soil last year, and noticed the mini hill, has
now sprouted a thick layer of Horsetail.

What is the best way to kill this ... I will not be growing anything on this
soil for at least another 2 years .. so can afford to use something strong
on the stuff.

A quick Google around suggests that a Glyphospahte (Roundup or Tumble weed)
or Dichlobenil (Casoron G) product should work ?

Anybody any experience of how good these are on Horsetail ?


On the Glyphospahate solution, a couple of posts mention 'Glyphosphate
Professional' is there much difference, or is this just a different
dilution ?

"Rick Hughes" wrote
I bought in 30 tonne of top soil last year, and noticed the mini hill, has
now sprouted a thick layer of Horsetail.

What is the best way to kill this ... I will not be growing anything on
this soil for at least another 2 years .. so can afford to use something
strong on the stuff.

A quick Google around suggests that a Glyphospahte (Roundup or Tumble
weed) or Dichlobenil (Casoron G) product should work ?

Anybody any experience of how good these are on Horsetail ?


On the Glyphospahate solution, a couple of posts mention 'Glyphosphate
Professional' is there much difference, or is this just a different
dilution ?


Personally having gardened on an allotment with it I would certainly go back
to the person that sold me the infected soil and complain bitterly.
This weed has a waterproof coating and is therefore very difficult to
eradicate even with chemicals, also the thin black roots go down too far to
dig it out and just a small bit will regrow. I rate it worse than Japanese
Knot Weed because that is easier to kill.
I noticed some weedkiller at a GC recently that was a sticky gel and it says
it kills Horsetail and Ivy so give that a go.
Best of luck, you'll need it.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Horsetail has been around for millions of years, unlike other weeds.

So its going to take time to get rid of them. Do not pull the weeds
out as you will leave the root, but persitent digging them out finally
gets rid of them.

But Yes go for the Roundup gell.

I beleive horsetail has a silica outer layer ( a bit like sand or
glass ) which is why normall liquid weedkillers do not have any
effect.

I quoted a job to get rid of all the visible weeds in a rockery, no
problem a good dose of weedkiller, and then a final dig after they had
died back. Only to find that the rockery was covered in horsetail when
I went back to dig it over. The owner said that she had known about
the problem, which is why her husband had not touched it for 5 years.
So I have now advised her to use the 'Roundup Gell'

Rick Hughes wrote:
I bought in 30 tonne of top soil last year, and noticed the mini hill, has
now sprouted a thick layer of Horsetail.
What is the best way to kill this ... I will not be growing anything on this
soil for at least another 2 years .. so can afford to use something strong
on the stuff.

Thick, strong, expensive, durable, heavy, dark ground cover material.
Cover the lot for two years and then dig out the dead weed )

A quick Google around suggests that a Glyphospahte (Roundup or Tumble weed)
or Dichlobenil (Casoron G) product should work ?
Anybody any experience of how good these are on Horsetail ?

No. Nothing kills horsetail but digging them out.

On the Glyphospahate solution, a couple of posts mention 'Glyphosphate
Professional' is there much difference, or is this just a different
dilution ?

The same - you will notice as the years go by how many products change
their name so that it appeal once more to the people who are naive
enough to beleive that the chemicals used for generations has suddenly
another ingredient which will totally for ever kill all weeds and
pests. Sadly it's not the case and it carries on the production of
those poisons, fatten wallets and destroy many gardens in the process.

anymore details on this 'Roundup Gell' product ?

On a previous house I had a load of knotweed .. over 3/4 acre and so
dense it was 6' high and you could not walk through it, I hacked it all
back ... and regular treating with SBK brushkiller mixed with engine
oil killed it off,is this stuff any good on Horestail ?

Rick wrote anymore details on this 'Roundup Gell' product ?

This is one I've seen but I'm sure there is at least one other I've seen in
GCs that uses glyphosate.
http://www.growingsuccess.org.uk/det..._Stump_Killers

Glyphosate and Ammonium sulphamate do the same job, they are both systemic
weedkillers, but the As lasts up to 8 weeks in the soil before
bio-degrading.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Bob Hobden wrote:
Rick wrote anymore details on this 'Roundup Gell' product ?

This is one I've seen but I'm sure there is at least one other I've seen in
GCs that uses glyphosate.
http://www.growingsuccess.org.uk/det..._Stump_Killers

Glyphosate and Ammonium sulphamate do the same job, they are both systemic
weedkillers, but the As lasts up to 8 weeks in the soil before
bio-degrading.

Why do they say it's bio degrading when it's not?! How do you beleive
this too? I wish I could!!

"La Puce" wrote in message
ups.com...

Bob Hobden wrote:
Rick wrote anymore details on this 'Roundup Gell' product ?

This is one I've seen but I'm sure there is at least one other I've seen
in
GCs that uses glyphosate.
http://www.growingsuccess.org.uk/det..._Stump_Killers

Glyphosate and Ammonium sulphamate do the same job, they are both
systemic
weedkillers, but the As lasts up to 8 weeks in the soil before
bio-degrading.

Why do they say it's bio degrading when it's not?! How do you beleive
this too? I wish I could!!


Where or what are you reading that states Gp is not biodegradable?
I thought Gp and As were both biodegradable??
It's the main reason for its licensed use by anyone.

I may be making a mistake, I'm just a beginner gardener.
We are living in France for the moment because my husband was sent to
work here for a couple of years. Reading French posts on
fr.rec.jardinage I noticed they use horsetail (Equisetum pratense -
prêle des près) macerated in water to spray again fungus infections
(powdery mildew, phytophtora).
Maybe a more experienced gardener could tell us if the plants, coming
from the same family, are very different and you can't use yours (at
least part of it) to spray when you will have a crop.
I have seen this "purin de prêle" also bottled and sold in stores as a
biodegradable treatment for crops.

"GH" wrote
I may be making a mistake, I'm just a beginner gardener.
We are living in France for the moment because my husband was sent to
work here for a couple of years. Reading French posts on
fr.rec.jardinage I noticed they use horsetail (Equisetum pratense -
prêle des près) macerated in water to spray again fungus infections
(powdery mildew, phytophtora).
Maybe a more experienced gardener could tell us if the plants, coming
from the same family, are very different and you can't use yours (at
least part of it) to spray when you will have a crop.
I have seen this "purin de prêle" also bottled and sold in stores as a
biodegradable treatment for crops.

Ours is Equisetum arvense but it may well have the same properties.
Interesting!
Thanks for mentioning it, may be worth a try, especially for the Organic
folks.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"GH" wrote
I may be making a mistake, I'm just a beginner gardener.
We are living in France for the moment because my husband was sent to
work here for a couple of years. Reading French posts on
fr.rec.jardinage I noticed they use horsetail (Equisetum pratense -
prêle des près) macerated in water to spray again fungus infections
(powdery mildew, phytophtora).
Maybe a more experienced gardener could tell us if the plants, coming
from the same family, are very different and you can't use yours (at
least part of it) to spray when you will have a crop.
I have seen this "purin de prêle" also bottled and sold in stores as a
biodegradable treatment for crops.

Ours is Equisetum arvense but it may well have the same properties.
Interesting!
Thanks for mentioning it, may be worth a try, especially for the Organic
folks.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Our Equisetum arvense does appear to perform in the same way with regard to
fungus infections. It also appears to be one of those magical cure alls for
just about everything.
Can't really find what the active ingredient (s) is/are, although the
individual constituents seem fairly well documented.
Definitely worth a go as a fungus remedy.

La Puce wrote:
Rick Hughes wrote:
I bought in 30 tonne of top soil last year, and noticed the mini
hill, has now sprouted a thick layer of Horsetail.
What is the best way to kill this ... I will not be growing
anything
on this soil for at least another 2 years .. so can afford to use
something strong on the stuff.

Thick, strong, expensive, durable, heavy, dark ground cover
material.
Cover the lot for two years and then dig out the dead weed )

A quick Google around suggests that a Glyphospahte (Roundup or
Tumble weed) or Dichlobenil (Casoron G) product should work ?
Anybody any experience of how good these are on Horsetail ?

No. Nothing kills horsetail but digging them out.

Ah, now that I would dispute.
I had an equisetum arvense problem in a border and between paving
slabs.
By spot spraying a mix of Roundup with washing up detergent added, I
have got rid of the lot.
The washing up liquid allows the mix to thoroughly wet the stems
whereas the Roundup would simply run off without it. Others advocate
crushing the stems to get the same effect. It did take two
applications spaced weeks apart. And don't pull up the apparently dead
black stems until they are brittle and can be brushed away.

--
ned