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Mares tail/Horse tail

• Message 1. 

  Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  Has anyone else got a mares tail problem on their plot? I have SO MUCH of it and have been fighting it since I got my plot 18months ago.
  
  Has anyone managed to beat the 'devil weed' or is it simply something I have to except?!

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by CaptainZucchini (U14832117) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  I've got plenty of them, unfortunately. I have also had the plot for just over a year, so I'm really not more experienced than you. But neighbours who have been there for decades tell me that you simply can't get rid of the stuff. By constant cleaning you do make it a little weaker, but I am resigned to the fact that I would have to constantly fight it for as long as I will cultivate the plot. On a brighter note, it is true what they say: if you weed regularly it is less of a chore.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Oldends (U13875463) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  You have a fight on your hands, but it can be won with patience. Here's what we did successfully although our invasion wasn't as bad as yours sounds.
  
  You need some glyphosate weedkiller, a bucket, a rubber glove, a woollen glove and a sturdy stick. Mix up the weedkiller in the bucket and add a drop of washing-up liquid to act as a wetting agent. Now take the stick and give the mare's tail a good thrashing. Not only does it give you a feeling of immense satisfaction, but it breaks down the silicate coating on this pernicious weed. Now put on the rubber glove followed by the woollen one. Dip your gloved hand in the weedkiller and grab hold of each weed and, squeezing gently, give it a liberal coating.
  
  This will set the plants back, but it will not kill them. They're natural survivors and have been around for a very, very long time. What's more, their roots, also silicate protected, go down an awful long way. When they pop up again, as they surely will, repeat the treatment. Keep doing it until at last they seem to give up the ghost. Even then keep your eyes peeled for more of the blighters popping up.
  
  Have fun. You can win the battle!

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• Message 4

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  Posted by ageing_hippie (U6742113) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  Some people call it dinosaur food. It's certainly been around since the carboniferous period, so it's definitely a survivor. I've heard competing stories about how deep the roots go; someone says they go ten feet down, then another says they knew someone who was digging a well and found mares tail roots at the bottom. I've heard someone say they've seen mares tail roots down a coal mine! Whatever the truth, it's a tough adversary. It has two defences, deep roots and a waxy coating.
  
  There are two or three plots on our site that were covered with a dense mat of mares tail and they defeated all comers for many years. They have all been successfully cleared now but it never goes away. Probably the worst thing to do is to spray, or rotovate it once, because that just kills everything else and the mares tail comes back stronger to fill the gaps. One chap cleared his plot by repeated spraying of glyphosate, tramping down the mares tails to damage the waxy coating to enable better penetration of the herbicide. I don't know if he used washing up liquid but it would probably help.
  Another plot has been successfully cleared by a combination of spraying, strimming, light excluding ground-cover fabric and relentless hoeing.
  
  You never get rid of it completely but you can get it down to manageable levels and keep it at bay with normal cultivation.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by Rainjustlearning (U12861332) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  600 million years old actually and getting to the height of 6 feet and it's still around albeit not 6 feet tall so you will definitely have a battle on your hands, best of luck.
  
  Rain

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Thursday, 19th May 2011

  I found this on the internet;
  
  ... if your infestation is not too great and you are willing, squeeze the stems to crack the silica skin before applying your chosen spray..... Which explains why Oldends method worked.
  
  What you may not know . . . .
  
  ...Mare's tail thrives in open ground, consequently it cannot tolerate being overshadowed....planting something tall would put it in the shade. A row or two of beans spring to mind....
  
  ...and just as plants have a symbiotic relationship with other plants and animals, there is also the anti-symbiotic relationship which can be used to control weeds. Mare's Tail can be controlled by planting nasturtiums. But the best natural means to kill Mare's Tail is to inter-plant them with Tagetes minuata or Giant Marigold.
  
  Hope this is helpful
  
  

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• Message 7

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  Posted by leaguer471 (U1318540) on Saturday, 21st May 2011

  Somebody mentioned a chemical called Kibosh(sp) bit expensive but apparently works, though for how long not to sure. Otherwise it's a case of slowly digging down before the winter getting as much as you can.Then next Spring / Summer keep plodding away at the one's you've missed.Can be soul destroying but is worth the wait & effort later.

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Sunday, 22nd May 2011

  Thanks so much everyone for the advice. I think I will continue to Hoe weekly...its too much to dig out...would take a full day a week on its own!
  
  Old ends I especially like your idea...I may just bash the beggers with a stick regardless! Seriously though I think im going to leave small areas clear of veggies and spray using your method.
  
  Its just such a shame that the council rotavated my plot before I got it. Feels very soul destroying when I work so hard to keep the weeds down...if it wasn't for the mares tail I would have a almost weed free plot!
  
  Anyway thanks all for advice, much appreciated!
  
  ps: I read an article online which said a 10cm length of rhizome has been shown to be able to produce 64 metres of new rhizome within a year... Lovely...

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• Message 9

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  Posted by Tee Gee (U10012255) on Sunday, 22nd May 2011

  I used a combination of the aforementioned I.e. Weed killer + hoeing plus Lime.
  
  I noticed one year after I had limed for my brassicas that the weed was less prolific.
  
  I got to thinking that it was mostly found in areas that had acidic" soil so would upping the pH help?
  
  So I tried this along with the hoeing and weedkiller and I got rid after a couple of years.
  
  My guess is it was mainly down weakening it and raising the pH that finally made it give up!
  
  Now I don't know if this was purely coincidence but it worked for me, so all I am doing is passing on another idea!

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by whatalottie (U9072847) on Monday, 23rd May 2011

  I used a combination of the aforementioned I.e. Weed killer + hoeing plus Lime.
  
  I noticed one year after I had limed for my brassicas that the weed was less prolific.
  
  I got to thinking that it was mostly found in areas that had acidic" soil so would upping the pH help?
  
  So I tried this along with the hoeing and weedkiller and I got rid after a couple of years.
  
  My guess is it was mainly down weakening it and raising the pH that finally made it give up!
  
  Now I don't know if this was purely coincidence but it worked for me, so all I am doing is passing on another idea!  I've just found someon our site. We have VERY high pH, almost straight limestone (degraded to sand). It's also growing in the shade of a huge rhubarb. I guess that it is purely and simply a survivor! There are varieties I gather that can grow under almost any conditions.
  
  I guess it's back to the beating around, and the glyphosphate. Someone suggested using fine sandpaper to damage the waxy surface, the same effect as the beating round I would think, but not as satisfying. A drop or to of washing up liquid in the soilution can help it 'stick', once the surface has been broken.
  
  By the way, aparently in Japan they use horsetail to polish wood! The silica makes a very fine abraisive.
  
  I'll watch this thread with interest- any other ideas?
  
  Lottie

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