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Is this mares tail?

abi.faye.nelsonoKxNsUQKabi.faye.nelsonoKxNsUQK Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Hi, I bought a house and the flowerbeds/rockery were covered in grass.

I hired a company to sort out this and a few bits in my garden

They dug up the grass and I assume rotavated it then added top soil

As I've started to plant I've noticed these shoots everywhere underneath the soil

Is this mares tail? It wasn't there before. If so........ Has the rotavating made it worse..? Can I get rid of it? 

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    The latter pics look like mares tail
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The earlier ones don't but those last 3 pix with the 'spikes', look like horsetail.
    I'm afraid rotovating is a very bad idea if there are persistent weeds of any kind present, It makes the problem worse. Every bit of viable stem/root can grow. 
    Horsetail can be very difficult to get rid of completely. It's been around since prehistoric times. Weed killers have little effect , even if you bruise the stems first. In a lawn you can manage it reasonably well by consistent mowing. In borders, it's usually a case of constantly pulling or hoeing it out to weaken it. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    All the pics look like mares tail to me. The rings around the roots are tell tale. 
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • abi.faye.nelsonoKxNsUQKabi.faye.nelsonoKxNsUQK Posts: 4
    This is a huge area in my garden, most of it... Wanted to plant in it. Will this be possible now?
    What if I cover in tarp, dig holes for plants and cover again with pebbles or soil? 


    Cheers


  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but mares tail or horse tail as it's otherwise known is very difficult to get rid of. As Fairygirl says leaving just a tiny amount of root starts the process of elimination off again. 
    It would be difficult to prove that it arrived in the new top soil as it might have been there when you bought the house and not visible to you in the long grass. 

    Perhaps with hard work and with the aid of weed killer you might control it. There's a lot of info on line from experts in the field on how to go about it. If you are determined enough then you'll manage it. 
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • Cottage CompostCottage Compost Posts: 496
    My experience is that it is possible, but it's hard work and may take you 3yrs if you can keep it up.  Roundup does work, but you'll need to bruise the growing plants first before applying.  Bruising the plant's outer surface allows roundup to get inside and do its thing. To dig would seem to be the wrong way as said because it will regrow but if you dig, dig, dig and again over and over pulling as much out as possible as SOON as you see new growth coming through you will win. Hard work and three years of your time!
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Roger Brook - the no dig gardener: Control of Marestail and Horsetail
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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