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#1
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Getting rid of horsetai?
The "resident weed" in my garden, in Forest Hall, Newcastle -on Tyne,
is horsetail. Every garden has a "resident weed" hasn't it? Last year I systematically squirted every growth of horsetail with weedkiller, and I reckon I got the horsetail down to 5% of what it had been and last winter I dug the whole garden over and pulled out what I could. But of course, there is still some coming up this spring. Once again I am squirting it with weedkiller. Is there any more productive method of getting rid of it? Michael Bell -- |
#2
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Getting rid of horsetai?
On May 3, 5:52 am, Michael Bell wrote:
The "resident weed" in my garden, in Forest Hall, Newcastle -on Tyne, is horsetail. Every garden has a "resident weed" hasn't it? At least one. Mine is ground elder which I don't find too bad. It comes in from the field boundary and there is not a lot I can do about it. There is a small amount of bindweed in hedges but nothing too bad. Last year I systematically squirted every growth of horsetail with weedkiller, and I reckon I got the horsetail down to 5% of what it had been and last winter I dug the whole garden over and pulled out what I could. But of course, there is still some coming up this spring. Once again I am squirting it with weedkiller. Is there any more productive method of getting rid of it? Moving house is generally reckonned to be effective provided that you move far enough away and check that the new house does not have it. The "roots" of horsetail go down a very long way and store a lot of energy. You have to hit it meticulously with systemic weedkiller on a regular basis - bruising the structure first helps prevent its silica exoskeleton from blocking absorption of the weedkiller. It is almost waterproof! Never let any of it see light and it will eventually give up the ghost. it is a war of attrition that probably can be won if you stick at it - at least to keep it under control. But drop your guard for a few weeks and it will be back (unless you can clear it from all neighbouring ground as well). Regards, Martin Brown |
#3
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Getting rid of horsetai?
Michael Bell wrote:
The "resident weed" in my garden, in Forest Hall, Newcastle -on Tyne, is horsetail. Every garden has a "resident weed" hasn't it? Last year I systematically squirted every growth of horsetail with weedkiller, and I reckon I got the horsetail down to 5% of what it had been and last winter I dug the whole garden over and pulled out what I could. But of course, there is still some coming up this spring. Once again I am squirting it with weedkiller. Is there any more productive method of getting rid of it? Michael Bell -- Hello Michael, We have a huge amount of horsetail. I too sprayed it last year with a Glyphosate weedkiller. It has come back in many areas but is maybe less than previously. The best area, is a 2ft x 12ft patch, where I started digging it out the year before last, and removed the very few individual weeds that came up last year. So far, none of it has come back in that section at all, although the horizontal roots are no doubt still there. I've cleared a similar sized area in a different section this year, digging down about 2 feet, removing soil into a wheel-barrow, so that I can get down as deep as possible. The problem with that area, is that it is next to the pavement flags, and it appears that the root growth extends underneath the pavement, and it grows through the pavement flags. Does anyone know if the council have a duty to remove it from there ? I was wondering if it would be worth asking, or would they just laugh at me ? Which particular brand of weedkiller did you use ? I have been using Bio Glyphosate (1 litre), which cost £11.99 to treat 400 sq.m. Also, what time of the year do you apply it ? I bought another brand, and it said use it in July, but I'm not sure I can wait that long this time. I've been using a pressure sprayer to apply it. This Bio brand doesn't specify a time to apply. Are you aware of the need to cut off the brown fertile spores which spread the seed (like dust), in early spring ? |
#4
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Getting rid of horsetai?
Martin Brown wrote:
On May 3, 5:52 am, Michael Bell wrote: The "resident weed" in my garden, in Forest Hall, Newcastle -on Tyne, is horsetail. Every garden has a "resident weed" hasn't it? At least one. Mine is ground elder which I don't find too bad. It comes in from the field boundary and there is not a lot I can do about it. There is a small amount of bindweed in hedges but nothing too bad. Last year I systematically squirted every growth of horsetail with weedkiller, and I reckon I got the horsetail down to 5% of what it had been and last winter I dug the whole garden over and pulled out what I could. But of course, there is still some coming up this spring. Once again I am squirting it with weedkiller. Is there any more productive method of getting rid of it? Moving house is generally reckonned to be effective provided that you move far enough away and check that the new house does not have it. The "roots" of horsetail go down a very long way and store a lot of energy. You have to hit it meticulously with systemic weedkiller on a regular basis - bruising the structure first helps prevent its silica exoskeleton from blocking absorption of the weedkiller. It is almost waterproof! Never let any of it see light and it will eventually give up the ghost. Martin, I've read about this bruising before, but how do you do it, especially when you have a lot of the stuff ? I tried scraping some of the plant stems with a Stanley knive last year, but it was long and labourious. Also tried sandpaper. |
#5
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Getting rid of horsetai?
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