Has anyone any experience of dealing with mare's tail?
Friends have moved into a house with the garden over-run with the
stuff. They are keeping it at bay in the lawn by regular mowing, but
it is coming up through the decking (which was already installed), and
is thick in a small area whee they hoped to grow a few veg, and under
2 apple trees. They are not keen gardeners, and not in the best of
health.
Is there any way of dealing with it?
I can remember the question being asked on GQT once and the answer was
"Move house". That is out of the question. Is there any other way?















Pam in Bristol

In article ,
Pam Moore writes:
| Has anyone any experience of dealing with mare's tail?
| Friends have moved into a house with the garden over-run with the
| stuff. They are keeping it at bay in the lawn by regular mowing, but
| it is coming up through the decking (which was already installed), and
| is thick in a small area whee they hoped to grow a few veg, and under
| 2 apple trees. They are not keen gardeners, and not in the best of
| health.
| Is there any way of dealing with it?
| I can remember the question being asked on GQT once and the answer was
| "Move house". That is out of the question. Is there any other way?

Nuclear weaponry.

Some people have had success with a great deal of persistence and
considerable effort, by bruising the stems and using glyphosate.
Repeatedly.

It won't harm the apple trees and is merely a nuisance under the
decking.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
Has anyone any experience of dealing with mare's tail?
Friends have moved into a house with the garden over-run with the
stuff. They are keeping it at bay in the lawn by regular mowing, but
it is coming up through the decking (which was already installed), and
is thick in a small area whee they hoped to grow a few veg, and under
2 apple trees. They are not keen gardeners, and not in the best of
health.
Is there any way of dealing with it?
I can remember the question being asked on GQT once and the answer was
"Move house". That is out of the question. Is there any other way?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mare's tail should be no problem as it's a flowering plant.
However Horse tail is very different.
We inherited a large patch which responded to being 'ring-rolled'
followed with agricultural Roundup. Only one further treatment was needed on
this third acre. It was then grassed and has remained clear.
Best Wishes Brian.















Pam in Bristol

Brian writes

Mare's tail should be no problem as it's a flowering plant.
However Horse tail is very different.

So what do you mean by Mare's tail? I always thought mare's tail
referred to the Equisetums that are grown ornamentally, which are no
more a flowering plant than are the horsetails. But Fitter uses
marestail for Hippurus vulgaris, which is a flowering plant

--
Kay

On Fri, 8 Sep 2006 20:16:38 +0100, K wrote:

Brian writes

Mare's tail should be no problem as it's a flowering plant.
However Horse tail is very different.

So what do you mean by Mare's tail? I always thought mare's tail
referred to the Equisetums that are grown ornamentally, which are no
more a flowering plant than are the horsetails. But Fitter uses
marestail for Hippurus vulgaris, which is a flowering plant

I am not very well informed on these. I thought they were the same
thing! This is certainly not a flowering plant, just bright green and
feathery and very invasive.
I think this must be it...
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/horsetail.htm
I knew it was almost impossible to get rid of but wondered if anyone
had any experience of it and any advice to give.

Pam in Bristol

"K" wrote in message
...
Brian writes

Mare's tail should be no problem as it's a flowering plant.
However Horse tail is very different.

So what do you mean by Mare's tail? I always thought mare's tail
referred to the Equisetums that are grown ornamentally, which are no
more a flowering plant than are the horsetails. But Fitter uses
marestail for Hippurus vulgaris, which is a flowering plant

--
Kay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ancients did indeed believe that Mare's and Horse tail were related.
The mare's tail was thought to be a feminine form. Mare's tail has genuine
flowers with single stamens, followed by nuts. Not even remotely related to
Horse tail. Hippuridaceae c/f Equisetum.
Best Wishes Brian.

On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 06:50:11 GMT, Pam Moore wrote:

I am not very well informed on these. I thought they were the same
thing!

You are not alone... Thought I'd have a did about the web and find some
references. Many mention Horsetail or Marestail for the same plant,
Equisetum arvense. This is the invasive, hard to kill, prehistoric plant.

Wikipedia is informative:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsetail

and the previously posted:
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/horsetail.htm

Mares Tale (Hippuris vulgaris)
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/pl...ons/hipvul.htm
l
http://makeashorterlink.com/?O2D354BBD

Is similar but looks to be a water or a least marsh plant. Unlike
Horsetail which grow almost anywhere. The "Maybe confused with" part of
the above link is good.

I knew it was almost impossible to get rid of but wondered if anyone
had any experience of it and any advice to give.

Move, but we've been down that one. B-)

It appears that this patch is well established. I think I'd go for the
bruising of stems and immediate application of glyphosphate. On the basis
that it will have an extensive and deep root system and the only way to
effectively get at that is by poison.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 11:19:30 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Sat, 09 Sep 2006 06:50:11 GMT, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Fri, 8 Sep 2006 20:16:38 +0100, K wrote:

Brian writes

Mare's tail should be no problem as it's a flowering plant.
However Horse tail is very different.

So what do you mean by Mare's tail? I always thought mare's tail
referred to the Equisetums that are grown ornamentally, which are no
more a flowering plant than are the horsetails. But Fitter uses
marestail for Hippurus vulgaris, which is a flowering plant

I am not very well informed on these. I thought they were the same
thing! This is certainly not a flowering plant, just bright green and
feathery and very invasive.
I think this must be it...
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/horsetail.htm
I knew it was almost impossible to get rid of but wondered if anyone
had any experience of it and any advice to give.

The advice on how to get rid of it is on the site you quoted.

"Eradicating this weed is not easy and will take much persistence,
continual removal will work - eventually! Regular close mowing will
exhaust the rhizomes, but the patch must be isolated as growth will
re-emerge from an adjoining area. Check early in the year for the
cone-bearing shoots to stop the production of spores and remove any of
the branched shoots later. Sowing turnips in the area has been shown
to inhibit the growth of shoots, probably due to an inhibiting
substance produced by the turnip; this would need to be done for a few
seasons to exhaust the rhizomes. Small pieces of the rhizome will
regrow, as seen in the lower, right picture where a 3cm segment has
produced a stem. So cultivation of the area will compound the problem
- it may be possible to follow most of the rhizome by careful use of a
fork to tease them up, but they are very brittle and snap easily.
Shoots are also produced from small nodules about 0.5cm in diameter,
which are solid white flesh inside covered in a dark skin as in the
lower, left picture. These have probably arisen on the rhizomes and
broken away when disturbed.

It is resistant to most weedkillers, but Glyphosate may have some
success after repeated treatment. Dichlobenil and Amitrole are
residual agents, and will prevent regrowth for a period in suitable
areas. Crush the stems first by trampling them to increase the
penetration as they have a waxy surface. Some success has been
reported using a selective weedkiller; a spray with Verdone Extra
causes the topgrowth to die within a few days, but I am waiting to see
if regrowth occurs.
That was late summer last year and so far in late April the hedge
bottom treated has not sprouted any Horsetail yet."

Martin, thank you for that useful info. I only found the page I
quoted after Kay pointed out that I was wrongly calling it Mare's
tail.
I will pass the info on to my friends, but I fear they have bought
more than they bargained for!
I don't think they are all that fond of turnips! LOL
Thanks to all
Pam

Pam in Bristol

Brian writes

"K" wrote in message
...
Brian writes

Mare's tail should be no problem as it's a flowering plant.
However Horse tail is very different.

So what do you mean by Mare's tail? I always thought mare's tail
referred to the Equisetums that are grown ornamentally, which are no
more a flowering plant than are the horsetails. But Fitter uses
marestail for Hippurus vulgaris, which is a flowering plant

--
Kay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ancients did indeed believe that Mare's and Horse tail were related.
The mare's tail was thought to be a feminine form. Mare's tail has genuine
flowers with single stamens, followed by nuts. Not even remotely related to
Horse tail. Hippuridaceae c/f Equisetum.

They're a lot further away than merely different families. Marestail
(Hippurus) is a flowering plant along with nearly everything else we
grow, including conifers and grasses. Horsetails (Equisetum) are
spore-bearing plants like ferns.
--
Kay

In message , K
writes
They're a lot further away than merely different families. Marestail
(Hippurus) is a flowering plant along with nearly everything else we
grow, including conifers and grasses. Horsetails (Equisetum) are
spore-bearing plants like ferns.

Point of order - conifers are seed plants, but not flowering plants.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley