It's all been said, it is a very difficult weed. I have successfully controlled it with glyphosate but it has taken three years and that has been tackling intact plantings (rather than chopped up pieces that grow erratically) and starting with large horsetails with lots of receptive leaves. Their are lots of wrinkles to enhance absorption of glyphosate as other comments indicate. It is impossible to eliminate if it is growing amongst established herbaceous plants. Under a higher canopy of shrubs it will still take three or more years but at least you can enjoy the shrubs.
On allotments some gardeners just regularly hoe it and think of all those lovely nutrients the horsetail is mining from seven foot down. It will keep coming from the roots but the hoed off tops will not grow!
I wonder if the lawn is mown often enough that you can live with this dreadful weed.
That seems the answer is too keep removing it, I had read that bruising it helped with the absorption of the weedkiller I have also been making sure I remove all the tops into the council green bin on the basis that the tops may regrow if left in the soil. I thought that any plant needed sunlight to grow so by removing the tops it should weaken the roots!
it has under ground root system so its going to be a hard job but your going to have to dig it out making sure you don't break or leave any part behind as it will re-grow,its up to you if you use chemicals I rather avoid.In the olden days they used as the brillo pad of its day.
Hi dking, i looked at your previous posts and see you posted that you had an allotment full of horsetail in 2011. Has this product completely removed it ?
I keep searching for any new shoots where I have already made borders and I keep digging it out using a hand fork in the hope I get all or most of it, I think I am a little lucky as the roots have run under the weed suppressant covering without going more than 6 inches down the problem is some roots run under the path.
until about 4 days ago, even after 30 years in professional horticulture , I'd never heard of " horsetails" apart from the obvious equine type. Does anyone smell a rat?
Posts
It's all been said, it is a very difficult weed. I have successfully controlled it with glyphosate but it has taken three years and that has been tackling intact plantings (rather than chopped up pieces that grow erratically) and starting with large horsetails with lots of receptive leaves. Their are lots of wrinkles to enhance absorption of glyphosate as other comments indicate. It is impossible to eliminate if it is growing amongst established herbaceous plants. Under a higher canopy of shrubs it will still take three or more years but at least you can enjoy the shrubs.
On allotments some gardeners just regularly hoe it and think of all those lovely nutrients the horsetail is mining from seven foot down. It will keep coming from the roots but the hoed off tops will not grow!
I wonder if the lawn is mown often enough that you can live with this dreadful weed.
That seems the answer is too keep removing it, I had read that bruising it helped with the absorption of the weedkiller I have also been making sure I remove all the tops into the council green bin on the basis that the tops may regrow if left in the soil. I thought that any plant needed sunlight to grow so by removing the tops it should weaken the roots!
NO TILLING?? EEEK!! Looks I'm going to have a bumper "crop" of horsetail this year, me thinks.
How are you getting on Thomas Johnson?
Kurtail weed killer appear to work. have a look at www.progreen.co.uk
it has under ground root system so its going to be a hard job but your going to have to dig it out making sure you don't break or leave any part behind as it will re-grow,its up to you if you use chemicals I rather avoid.In the olden days they used as the brillo pad of its day.
http://www.progreen.co.uk/Weed-Killers/Total-Weed-Killers/Kibosh-0-5LT/prod_2.html
Might help Tom
Hi dking, i looked at your previous posts and see you posted that you had an allotment full of horsetail in 2011. Has this product completely removed it ?
In the sticks near Peterborough
Ha Ha, I love the change of name. Kibosh is now called Kurtail
Does that mean it doesn't Kibosh it, but only curtail it?
Hi Sessi
I keep searching for any new shoots where I have already made borders and I keep digging it out using a hand fork in the hope I get all or most of it, I think I am a little lucky as the roots have run under the weed suppressant covering without going more than 6 inches down the problem is some roots run under the path.
until about 4 days ago, even after 30 years in professional horticulture , I'd never heard of " horsetails" apart from the obvious equine type. Does anyone smell a rat?