I can't believe it - mares tail !

[chris]

My greenhouse base is a double layer of stabilising fabric, plus some pea gravel on top, then a weed control fabric layer, and then another layer of pea gravel..

Went in to get rid of all the tomatoes and peppers yesterday, moved the pots out the way and found a couple spears of the stuff that had weaved through the overlapping layers of stabilising fabric, then THROUGH the weed control fabric!!! I can't believe it.

If we ever have a nuclear fallout - do you think it'll still be around?

Seems to be rife around this area, I noticed it taking hold on some new builds near us. The only place I found it before was about 10' away from the greenhouse!

Sick of pulling the bloomin stuff out!

[SarzWix]

Yeah, all that'll be left in the world is horsetail and cockroaches....

Seriously, you have to just chillax about it, because (wo)man will never win against it Apparently, it's good as a final polisher after sanding wood, it's good at scrubbing things (I used it at the allotment for scrubbing pots ) and the silicone in it is supposed to make a good anti-fungal spray if it's pounded up in water and then strained. (Never tried it, so dunno if it works). If you can't beat it, use it?

[Glutton4...]

Or move!

[chris]

lol g4 we've only just moved in!!!!
Cool Sarz - didn't know that about polishing.. may give that a go!

[Pies]

ROOT OUT for root removal kill roots clear overgrown garden

Dont spill any on the mares tail on the way to the compost bin

[binley100]

There's some uses for it in my GYO Drugs books, but I've only flicked through so far , not actually had time to read it properly .....

[silu]

You could try crushing the stems and then paint on a fairly strong dose of Roundup mixed with a spot of fairy liquid to make it stick better. hHad so so results but then what's a bit of mare's tail between friends!

[ColinInHants]

Crush and spray

I finally ran out of patience with mares tail this year so the approach I took was...wait until late July/Aug, damage the stems by walking over them in heavy boots, spray with glyphosate, repeat after 2/3 weeks for the bits that have survived. The results were impressive but need to wait until next year to see just how effective!

[Alison]

I just pull it out everytime I see it - quite satisfying getting a really long root section. Won't resort to chemicals and it's definitely getting less over time.

[chris]

I'm going to attempt to train my chickens to eat it.

Then, I'll sell it as a removal service + manuring service at the same time.

It's my latest business idea

[weekendwellies]

my plot was covered in the @*%$& stuff. I dig out as much as I can, then loosen the ground, as it is rock hard in the parts I havent tackled yet. then dig more roots out, then plant something, try hard to ignore the mares tail, then dig more roots out before planting the next lot of seedlings. The parts where I have already dug are getting easier to clear the roots from, but it is a soul destroying job. Especially if you havent been for a couple of weeks and then return to find a plot full of mares tails again.

On the plus side, because their roots go down to Hades, they dont deprive your plants of nutrients. So if you can, live with it as best you can.

[Terryrat]

Mares tail

I finally ran out of patience with mares tail this year so the approach I took was...wait until late July/Aug, damage the stems by walking over them in heavy boots, spray with glyphosate, repeat after 2/3 weeks for the bits that have survived. The results were impressive but need to wait until next year to see just how effective!

According to Monty Don in the Mail magazine you can compost it quite safely

[4Shoes]

According to Monty Don in the Mail magazine you can compost it quite safely

Perhaps the top part of the plant, but don't put the root anywhere near your compost.

[Stan79]

Think this thread is 8 years old folks...?!?!

[4Shoes]

Seems to be a recurring theme.

This one 8 years old.

Other Thread 1 year old...

https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ail_94158.html