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Horsetail

BKSBKS Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Hello, recently noticed some Horsetail in our garden & adjacent neighbours gardens. Also on the public pathway at the front and in the road gutter. I've read how to treat the this weed. Do I advise my neighbours about it? Also, do I advise the council re the public pathway and road that will need treating? Thanks in advance:) 

Posts

  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    I would definitely tell the council. I’m not sure if they are obliged to tackle horsetail on public roads and paths, but it’s worth a go. Not sure about your neighbours 🤔. Will it be possible to mention it without getting their backs up? You don’t want to start a feud, which is a lot easier than you might think if you pick the wrong neighbour to make helpful suggestions to (painful experience here). If in doubt, I would pick your chance for a neighbourly chat and have a lighthearted moan about the horsetail in your garden (not their’s!), and what a pain it has been to deal with it. See if they ask what you’ve done. Good luck - it’s a right royal pain isn’t it?
    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • BKSBKS Posts: 2
    Thanks Emerion:)
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    SBK brushwood weedkiller, and had digging what you can (remove as much root as possible but the root system is enormous!) Wherever I've seen attempts to smother it with weed membrane and mulch, it seems to have grown like crazy around the edges. Or maybe adopt a laid back attitude; cut and remove stems when you see them, and plant things that will outcompete it or at least be able to withstand growing with it amongst them.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Kate the DragonKate the Dragon Posts: 20
    My elderly neighbour has let his garden go 'for wildlife', which is lovely as we benefit from his birds and butterflies.  But.. he also has patches of horsetails 3 feet high next to our fence and in the absence of dinosaurs, nothing seems to eat it.  Absolutely no point in me getting stressed, or upsetting our nice neighbour, so I just keep pulling it when I see it coming through; I doubt that we'll ever see the end of it.  Horsetails were here long before us and I guess will long outlast us.
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
    we had clumps of it coming through an adjacent field next door. Nobody maintains the field even though it's fenced off and has a Telecoms mast in the middle. It came through our driveway so we just keep poisoning it and so far (this year at least) it seems to have worked. Every time we see a tiny sprouting, we spray it. We've also sprayed outside the front as well even on the pavement to stop it burrowing into our wall. Think the council will only act if it's knotweed (which we have growing across the road !!!!!! They told us that we had to deal with the problem ourselves because it was on our property and was our responsibility. We've been spraying that too !!!!!
  • SkylarksSkylarks Posts: 379
    @shazza 3, it’s worth reporting the knotweed to the council. They can make whoever is responsible get rid of it. From my understanding, it needs specialist removal and to stop it spreading onto your property. Knotweed can devalue a property.
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 197
    yes we did. they told us it's our responsibility as on our land, however, they also said unable to eradicate from land across the road as unable to trace owners. imho, land probably belongs to mining company from many years ago. think most of Wales is built on old mine workings !!!!!! We were quoted £600 from a private company to treat it, OH wasn't paying that. We used good old Glyphosate before it was banned and have been Knotweed free since. It's still thriving on waste ground but at least it's not invading my garden any longer 
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