I’ve did one of my annual marestail hunts around our garden yesterday. I just pull off the emerging spikes, I don’t try and dig it out. I probably do it about three time’s at this time of year when it’s starting to get going and is about 3-4 inches long. I only have to do about two sessions as it doesn’t seem to keep sprouting during the rest of the year. I’ve been doing this for about three years and there’s definitely less each year.
That will stop it throwing spores out which is a great help in reducing it’s invasive nature.
There must be a way to get rid of it. There is a house at the end of out road and it was sprouting out under a long fence and through the tarmac on the pavement. There is no evidence of it now so they must've done something to eradicate it.
Smudgerii is quite right - Ammonium Sulphamate is the way. There's plenty about it on the internet and it is readily available. General approval for it was withdrawn by the dreaded EU in 2008 but it can still be used for composting. It is actually safer than Glysophate and withdrawal of approval was all to do with the costs in volved for a niche product.
I have used it at 2 lbs/gallon + few drops of washing up liquid and on the way to the compost heap have dropped some on horsetail with rapid and gratifying results
Thank you everybody for the provided information and for the encouragement. I shall use the info when talking to the neighbours about the issue and I can only hope they take it seriously as it appears that there is no duty of cary in this regard, unlike with JKW. In my own garden I am planning to stay extra vigilant and deal with the smallest first sign of it by all means available, beginning with carefully digging it out and burning all plant parts and if it continued coming back - with the chemicals.
I shall let you know how the talk with the neighbours went 😊🤞
No need to burn it.. turn an empty compost bag inside out and put the MT in it, seal up the bag and place in a sunny spot to ‘cook’ once it is dried out it is safe to compost. Alternatively drown in a sealed bucket ( it stinks ) for 6 months, great fertilising liquid and the sludgy mess can be composted safely.
There must be a way to get rid of it. There is a house at the end of out road and it was sprouting out under a long fence and through the tarmac on the pavement. There is no evidence of it now so they must've done something to eradicate it.
On my dog walk I pass gardens with varying extents of it; some hardly have any while it is everywhere next door. The more mature gardens with large shrubs, that look 'established,' seem less affected than the ones that have a patchy lawn and hardstanding for the car. 'Waste ground' seems to be its favourite urban habitat.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
There's a very small patch of it under a conifer between us and our NDN, surrounded by concrete kerbstones and both drives. It's been there for over ten years and hasn't yet appeared in our garden. I cut it down occasionally when I can be bothered.
There are a number of ways to rid yourself of marestail. 1. Blitz with glyphosate but make sure you crush the stems before applying. marestail is a tough son of a b**** and even glyphosate will have trouble penetrating the plant unless it has ‘sores’ 2. Cover the affected area with a membrane that will keep out light. Keep it in place for at least 3 years. 3. I’ve also heard of people defeating it simply by Chopping it back as soon as it emerges. Apparently it gives up after a few years, starved of light and energy to feed its deep and penetrating rhizomes. I’m a Japanese knotweed veteran and know from personal experience that defeating invasives is hard work...but it’s perfectly do-able as long as you have a plan and stick to it over the longer term. Give yourself a few years to defeat it unless you want to spend some cash and bring in the professionals. Just don’t ignore it. Marestail is one of a number of invasives that is a property devaluer if left to take over. good luck!
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In my own garden I am planning to stay extra vigilant and deal with the smallest first sign of it by all means available, beginning with carefully digging it out and burning all plant parts and if it continued coming back - with the chemicals.
I shall let you know how the talk with the neighbours went 😊🤞
1. Blitz with glyphosate but make sure you crush the stems before applying. marestail is a tough son of a b**** and even glyphosate will have trouble penetrating the plant unless it has ‘sores’
2. Cover the affected area with a membrane that will keep out light. Keep it in place for at least 3 years.
3. I’ve also heard of people defeating it simply by Chopping it back as soon as it emerges. Apparently it gives up after a few years, starved of light and energy to feed its deep and penetrating rhizomes.
I’m a Japanese knotweed veteran and know from personal experience that defeating invasives is hard work...but it’s perfectly do-able as long as you have a plan and stick to it over the longer term. Give yourself a few years to defeat it unless you want to spend some cash and bring in the professionals. Just don’t ignore it. Marestail is one of a number of invasives that is a property devaluer if left to take over.
good luck!