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Horsetail
Kerry52
Posts: 2
Hello, we have horsetail throughout our garden. Please can you advise on how to get rid of it in a pet friendly way?
Thanks
0
Posts
Kerry it is virtually impossible to get rid of horse tail - I have been trying for 30 years - unsuccessfully. Just keep pulling it up everytime you see it.
I did a lot of research on horse tail in an attempt to deal with it. The best advice I read was ....... to move house.
As LB said it's almost impossible. The somewhat limited success I did have was to use Roundup Tree and Stump killer mixed with a small amount of fairy liquid which acted as a carrier so the chemical stayed in contact with the plant longer. This was applied to the horse tail after 'bruising' it to expose the inner of the plant as the waxy external would reject the weed killer.
They don't like competition, so heavy planting in borders does discourage them. Pulling them also appears to weaken them although it takes a long time to convince them not to regrow. Roundup does get rid of them for a couple of years, but they will regrow. Keeping on top of them is really the best you can hope for.
I don't know whether the climate over recent years suits them better, but I have certainly seen far more over the past 4 or 5 years.
Horsetail seems to thrive when covered with paving or plastic ... it loves the dark and the damp.
I have read that increasing the alkalinity of the soil by liming will help to deter it. Certainly we live in a very chalky area and have no horsetail (fingers crossed).
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks everyone!