What is this scary looking thing?

[bitShifter_]

Hello folks,

Can anyone tell me what this is? It's popped in a few places in my carrot bed and in the path next to it. It looks positively fiendish! :P I am a bit worried it's some super duper invasive weed

[jackarmy]

It really is
Cant remember its name but it is nasty.
Had it at an old adress and although you can "seemingly" keep on top of it, it keeps coming back, proffesional help required or a patient rip it up approach.

[veggiechicken]

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=257

[bitShifter_]

Damn it all, I thought this plot was too good to be true, having come across no major issues or weeds yet. I wonder how it got in there, if it's been there for a while cause I certainly haven't seen it before. I've heard this stuff is a nightmare.

Night... mare... Haha, get it.

[Guest]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but it looks like mares tail

[Nicos]

It's prehistoric...literally.

It'll take some shifting.

[bitShifter_]

Yeah... Well, anyone want to join me for a massive drink? :P

Seriously though I guess I'll just have to live with it if it's there. Having dug around (excuse the pun) on the internet about it I think I will just regularly rip out the spears above ground. Doesn't seem to be much else effective you can do. I just hope it doesn't spread over the whole garden cause right now it's just on one edge. I wonder if it came in from the neighbour's bit... hmm

[Nicos]

It might come in useful if you speak with an expert?...

Sixteen Horsetail Benefits | NaturalAlternativeRemedy

[jackarmy]

Horsetail ? nayyyyyy

[Scarlet]

I have a little patch in my garden, I think it came in with a few bought plants from a car boot. I just pull it up. It hasn't spread but I still get the occasional one or two rearing its ugly head.

[bitShifter_]

That's encouraging Scarlet, hopefully mine wont spread much if I just pull it up all the time.

[noviceveggrower]

Several plots by me have it. All the other holders just keep digging it up and get as much of the root system out as possible.

[WendyC]

I've had a piece appear this week on my new plot. Must be the time of year for it to grow.

[Alicante]

I have it on my plot, it has spread across about half the allotment site in the last 10 years. It doesnt seem to hinder much but if you let it get out of control it competes for space and light around the vegetables. Dont try and dig it out, you will be wasting your time! The bloke two allotments along from me dug his whole allotment up down to sub soil and sieved all of it, a mammoth backbreaking task. It actually made the mares tail grow better as every piece broken off which he missed rooted.
To keep it under control I just pull the spears up ( or hoe them off) and dispose of them, either leaving them on the ground to die or bagging them up to take to the home to put in the bin. Dont compost them!
Hope this helps, I still manage to get decent veg and fruit with this on my plot.

[marchogaeth]

It is truly fantastic stuff. A remnant from the age of the dinosaurs, you could try loving it! We have little patches of it which we actively protect from the sheep.

This brings me to the serious point, it does not like being constantly cut and removed. I've always been told and found that whatever you do, you should not leave any bits of stem lying around, each bit is capable of rooting and forming a new plant but Alicante's experience doesn't seem to match that.