the liming option seem a strange one, as when I dig down some 3 foot there are the thick black roots growing out between the builders rubble of cement covered bricks -they can't mind sandy soils nor clay.
It is well drained too.
One year tried digging it out and sieving the roots out- but as you can see that didn't work either.
You don't see it in farmers field used for growing crops so it doen't spread that much.
I have seen it growing out of tarmac, so sure trying to cover it to block out the light and nutrients will only make it pop up somewhere else.
Was trying to work out what sort of conditions they may not like, as obviously like the soil currently- Could liming work- never used it so not sure how to - other than seen Alan T spreading it with his hands in one of his gardening books- thought gloves were a must to preventing burning the skin.
Could get some farmyard manure if that woudl help - but don't want to feed them....
Blimey - you have got it bad! Lots of sympathy here but I can't offer any brtter advice than you have already. I've always dealt with it by repeated digging it out but that's a mammoth job with that lot!
If you are sure to up the dose, because I was always concerned that I oversprayed it on the application as nearly used a whole bottle. Was thinking I had sprayed on to thickly and it had just burn the tops off without travelling down to the deep roots.
Also this time there is lots of grass and annual weeds which will take the hit and miss the MT, so not sure if to try and kill them off first. Teh roots of heelebore didn't keep the MT at bare so some were sacrificed and a couple kept in pots in quarantine.
Re the shrubs- the thick roots of these must put off the MT as they are sparse round these so I could easily treat i.e. paint each one with a jel. Had heard of using wallpaper paste to thicken the weedkiller but haven't used it.
Saw a post from a lady who had purchased a blackcurrent bush with MT popping up, I also had this last year but luckily I had potted on so was in pots when it appeared-had to wash all the roots and repot- was some lysimachia purpurea purchased from J Parker Bulbs.............Nearly had a fit when I saw it in the pot!
Thank you- also just read on the Progreen website- that hard water interferes with the take up of the chemical so that could be the reason my treatments haven't worked. there is a pouch you can buy to add to the solution.
Will hard water also affect the Gallup active ingredient? hard water is high in magnesium etc
We with the problem should all do a trial, each using a different remedy and report back!
I will make a decision on which to use- Kurtail or Gallup.
My garden backs on to the railway so I don't think I will be able to completely eradicate the mares tail which is at the moment just at the bottom of the garden. I keep pulling it out. I thought it just spread by root so was dismayed to read that it produces spores. Can anyone tell me how it does that please.!
Posts
the liming option seem a strange one, as when I dig down some 3 foot there are the thick black roots growing out between the builders rubble of cement covered bricks -they can't mind sandy soils nor clay.
It is well drained too.
One year tried digging it out and sieving the roots out- but as you can see that didn't work either.
You don't see it in farmers field used for growing crops so it doen't spread that much.
I have seen it growing out of tarmac, so sure trying to cover it to block out the light and nutrients will only make it pop up somewhere else.
Was trying to work out what sort of conditions they may not like, as obviously like the soil currently- Could liming work- never used it so not sure how to - other than seen Alan T spreading it with his hands in one of his gardening books- thought gloves were a must to preventing burning the skin.
Could get some farmyard manure if that woudl help - but don't want to feed them....
Blimey - you have got it bad! Lots of sympathy here but I can't offer any brtter advice than you have already. I've always dealt with it by repeated digging it out but that's a mammoth job with that lot!
If you are sure to up the dose, because I was always concerned that I oversprayed it on the application as nearly used a whole bottle. Was thinking I had sprayed on to thickly and it had just burn the tops off without travelling down to the deep roots.
Also this time there is lots of grass and annual weeds which will take the hit and miss the MT, so not sure if to try and kill them off first. Teh roots of heelebore didn't keep the MT at bare so some were sacrificed and a couple kept in pots in quarantine.
Re the shrubs- the thick roots of these must put off the MT as they are sparse round these so I could easily treat i.e. paint each one with a jel. Had heard of using wallpaper paste to thicken the weedkiller but haven't used it.
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Saw a post from a lady who had purchased a blackcurrent bush with MT popping up, I also had this last year but luckily I had potted on so was in pots when it appeared-had to wash all the roots and repot- was some lysimachia purpurea purchased from J Parker Bulbs.............Nearly had a fit when I saw it in the pot!
I just don't want to waste another year.
Sounds like the way forward, just feel that Kurtail has had 2 chances/ i.e 2 years and didn't make a dent in the problem.
I wonder if anyone's doing any research into it? How important is it commercially?
BTW, if you're considering glyphosate it might be worth looking at this thread. No idea about the other weedkillers.
Thank you- also just read on the Progreen website- that hard water interferes with the take up of the chemical so that could be the reason my treatments haven't worked. there is a pouch you can buy to add to the solution.
Will hard water also affect the Gallup active ingredient? hard water is high in magnesium etc
We with the problem should all do a trial, each using a different remedy and report back!
I will make a decision on which to use- Kurtail or Gallup.
Will keep you posted
My garden backs on to the railway so I don't think I will be able to completely eradicate the mares tail which is at the moment just at the bottom of the garden. I keep pulling it out. I thought it just spread by root so was dismayed to read that it produces spores. Can anyone tell me how it does that please.!
It produces a flowering head.this isn't a flower really, but it scatters spores on the Wind. Keep on pulling it out.it may weaken it eventually.
If you Google horsetail flower images, you will get photos of the spore producing cone like flower.