Horsetail / Marestail Call it what you will

[binley100]

Just been reading some articles on removing the pesky stuff. Quite interestingly they recommend spraying with household vinegar.

How to Remove Horsetail Weed | eHow.co.uk

[SarzWix]

Won't that acidify the soil a bit?

I've given up getting het up about it, and we're at a mexican standoff now - neither will win

[zazen999]

The vinegar thing doesn't work; it didn't for me anyway.

I've also given up worrying. Just hoe it off and put the hoeings in the incinerator. One day I'll get round to incinerating them - until then they just sit inside and get all crispy during the summer.

[binley100]

We usually hoe it or dig it out but its popping up where I can't do that (asparagus bed) so I think I'll give the vinegar thing a go.

[Madasafish]

When we moved here 28 (!) years ago we had lots of mares' tail. We now have.. none.

Digging it up and burning the stems and application of systemic weedkiller by brush (weedkiller mixed with water and then wallpaper paste added so it sticks - applied by brush)...

Simples.

And doing it every year for some 25 years helps....

[mogs]

I have a neighbouring plotter who makes her own weedkiller with vinegar and salt - she brought some of her potion up last weekend and sprayed the banking adjacent to the lane up to the lotties. I have to say within 30 minutes the mixture of weeds were withering, mind that is the banking where nothing else is expected to grow, wouldn't like to try it on the growing beds. Mmind someone also mentioned a vegetable that likes salt - but see, that's why I can't try these things, as within 10 minutes I just can't remember which vegetable they've said, and that's if I can actually hear them when they're saying it!

They speak in whispers all the time! If you ask them to speak up they just keep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing the same silent message until they're red in the face! What do they think I am, a lip reader?

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE CAN GET THIS CONSPIRACY STOPPED!

PS: I am sending this to you in a larger font size, because something has happened to my computer's fonts - they are so much smaller than they once were.

[zazen999]

mogs - have you been on the pop?

[mogs]

I soooo wish - no just having a midlife (I'm getting old and losing my mojo) crisis

[zazen999]

Aah - must be me then.

I'm having my first ever home made wine. Yum.

[mogs]

Have one for me chuck - am down to cough mixture here, quite tempting though! Cheers me dears

[Jeanied]

I soooo wish - no just having a midlife (I'm getting old and losing my mojo) crisis

Oh, dear Mogs - you too eh? Everything seems to be getting smaller - sounds, print and the waistband on your trousers? Know the feeling!

[zazen999]

Will do. Although I think one is quite enough for me

[Alison]

Back to marestail - we've got loads of it, I just pull it out and fill the green bin up with it. It's a bit of a pain at this time of year but the genuinely seems less of it than last year so am hoping it's been weakened a bit. Don't use commercial weedkillers and don't fancy the vinegar method either but each to their own.

[always digging]

i have been fighting a war with marestail for dont know how long but quite a long time and the only way i know is keep digging it up and in about oh a year or few it might go but never stop beacause its just waitingthe swine

[Two_Sheds]

They are two different things.
Horsetail - Equisetum arvense, is the allotment baddy
Marestail - Hippuris vulgaris, is an aquatic plant