Tree suckers and mares tail

[noviceveggrower]

Hi,
Well I get my second plot on April the 1st. This is an omen the 1st being April fools Day. Was just down allotment talking to the lady that is between my two plots.
Last year the council cut down a tree and it looks as if there are tree suckers coming up through one of the beds. Also my neighbour thinks there is mares tail in this one bed to.
Typical one plot floods and the other has the lurgie.
So was wondering is it going to be a case of dig, dig, dig to get rid of both these problems or with the suckers go back to the tree stump?
I know mares tail is a total swine to get rid of unless anyone knows another method to kill it off.
Thanks for any advice.

[Glutton4...]

Dig, dig, dig for the marestail. As for the tree, it will depend what it was...

[RaptorUK]

I know mares tail is a total swine to get rid of unless anyone knows another method to kill it off.
Thanks for any advice.

Now is a good time to get rid of lots of the Horsetail (Marestail is aquatic/amphibious) as it's growing and pretty obvious which bits are alive and which bits dead. Just dig as deep as you can, I used a fork so I could minimize mixing of subsoil and topsoil.

[snakeshack]

Mares tail roots up to 5 feet deep.i have been pulling and hoeing it off for over5 years and still have a lot left.it does respond to constant pulling and hoeing though and I have far less than previously.i was told that it is eradicated by glyphosate if you stamp on or otherwise damage it first to break the waterproof layer, I suspect this advice came from someone who sells weed killer as I could see no difference . On the bright side it doesn't seem to overwhelm or shade out other plants and can be used to make compost tea which is reputed to suppress mildew.if you find a way to kill it let me be the first to know.


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[noviceveggrower]

I am quite naughty. At home we suffer from brambles and bindweed so I bought some weed killer from the local garden centre. Was £3.99 for a spray bottle and its fantastic. Has stopped to bramble in its path and beaten up the bindweed. So might try it on the mares tail.
Don't know what the tree is or was that was cut down but seem to have quite a few sycamore trees around the edge of the allotment. Will ask fellow plot holder if she remembers what it was.

[Kristen]

I have had some success using Ammonium sulphamate on it (now only sold as a Compost Accelerator). Other than that "Never let is see a Sunday" is the best approach, as it weakens it, so regular hoeing / pulling. Also it doesn't like / do as well in rich soil, so after several years of manuring your plot it will be less of a problem. Its feather leaves don't rob light etc. so I see it as less of a problem than Bindweed / Ground Elder.

If it is in the plot it will be in the surround, so perhaps not worth waging chemical war and instead plan to just keep it under control instead?

[Kristen]

So might try it on the mares tail.

Marestail has a waxy coat, so just spraying on a Glyphosate (if that is what it was?) based weedkiller won't have much effect - you'll need to bruise the stems first, so that it can be absorbed, but I haven't found it very effective, even then.

[Two_Sheds]

You have Equisetum arvense. The Latin name is always more specific, whereas common names can be confusing eg. the horsetail/marestail mixing up.

Anyway: you won't kill it with a spray. Our school contractor sprayed all ours with extra strong glypho, and it just came straight back.

Field horsetail - Weed information - Organic Weed Management

It is a feeble plant that doesn't like shade, as said above. The best way to deal with it is to crowd it out with taller plants, so it doesn't get that sunlight to photosynthesise. If it's allowed to grow alone, with lots of light, it will quickly spread.

Also pull it out whenever you see it, and never let it spore.

[Kristen]

you won't kill it with a spray

Agree re: Glyphosate, but I think Ammonium sulphamate is worth a go for anyone who is inclined to try something else. Nice simple chemical too, breaks down to Ammonium sulphate (basic Nitrogen fertiliser) after a few weeks.

[lyndapet]

the only thing to kill equisetum is a product called KURTAIL. it is excellent .


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[Kristen]

the only thing to kill equisetum is a product called KURTAIL. it is excellent .

The active ingredient in Kurtail is toxic and bans have been considered by EU and some countries. Bans that were in place in some countries have been lifted (which makes sceptical-me wonder if that is a result of lobbying, rather than new science that suggests that it is safer than expected; also possible that labelling and licensed use has been tightened up). Notwithstanding that it is available for anyone to buy on eBay Its toxicity is mainly relate to reproduction, thus its "pollution" is likely to effect the local ecosystem

As such my understanding is that it is licensed for use only by trained operators - and application entailed full protection suits and breathing filters etc.

Up to each person to make up their own mind, of course, but my advice would be not to apply it, as an amateur. An option would be to get a contractor in.

I've no personal experience, but I have heard people say that treated areas have come back again the following year.

Up side is that the active ingredient, Glufosinate ammonium, has a different action to Glyphosate, and is successful against a number of weeds which Glyphosate isn't much good at, so safety aside its a useful weapon.

[RaptorUK]

the only thing to kill equisetum is a product called KURTAIL. it is excellent .

It's not the only thing that will kill Horsetail . . . . I've killed plenty by digging and burning