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Please can you help to identify. I have a bad feeling about this plant

Big Blue SkyBig Blue Sky Posts: 716
in Problem solving
I suspect this is mares tail? 🤭
Neighbours front garden is covered with this. 

And if it is, anything can be done to prevent it from spreading to other gardens? It’s not next door but close enough to be worrying. 






Thank you 😊
Surrey
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Posts

  • Mrs-B3-Southampton,-HantsMrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants Posts: 732
    Yes it's marest
    Southampton 
  • Mrs-B3-Southampton,-HantsMrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants Posts: 732
    Correction - marestail, sorry.
    Southampton 
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    you were right to "have a bad feeling about it"
    Devon.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    yes
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    I know two ways to attack it:  mow if it's growing in grass, elsewhere keep pulling it.   Or use glyphosate weedkiller on the foliage, but you need to bruise it first because it's tough stuff and the solution won't penetrate.  Others may have other suggestions.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    My mums garden is infested with it.  She thinks it is because their piece of land was used as a dump before they built their bungalow, 63 years ago.  The houses either side do not have it.  Pull it, mow it, pull it some more. It even comes through tarmac.
  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286
    Mrs-R3 said:
    Correction - marestail, sorry.
    Depends where you are in the country. Both marestail and horsetail are used in different regions. Confusingly, the same two common names also get used interchangeably for a type of pond weed, again depending where you happen to be.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    GemmaJF said:
    Mrs-R3 said:
    Correction - marestail, sorry.
    Depends where you are in the country. Both marestail and horsetail are used in different regions. Confusingly, the same two common names also get used interchangeably for a type of pond weed, again depending where you happen to be.
    the joys/shortfalls of using "common names"
    Devon.
  • SmudgeriiSmudgerii Posts: 185
    The only way to stop it spreading is to kill it.  

    Glyphosate won’t do the job so save your money, digging alone won’t rid you of it so save the muscle ache, mowing it in the lawn just hides it so serves an asthestic purpose at least.

    Unless your neighbour takes action it will eventually invade your garden.


  • micearguersmicearguers Posts: 646
    How come horsetail has not conquered the world? A search reveals It flourishes where it can root in water or clay soil - that's quite a lot of habitat.
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