Moving plants - mare's tale risk?

[katkatkat]

Now that I have been given a proper plot at the allotment, I want to move my fruit plants (strawberries, raspberries, blueberrie, lingonberries and cranberries) and my herbs from my raised beds.

However, my raised beds were plagued with mare's tail and my new plot hopefully isn't. Is there a way I can limit the chances of moving any of it to the new site when I transplant them? Should I be removing as much soil as possible (and will this effect the plants?) or will the mare's tail have died right back to its rhizomes and so not be a risk at this time of year?

Thanks!

[sparrow100]

If you've got horsetail then I'd be very careful about moving plants.

I shifted 2 globe artichokes and 2 red gooseberries from a bed with a fair amount of it in, at about this time of year when they were dormant. When I dug them up I washed every bit of soil off the rootball and checked all the roots belonged to the plants - there were several strands of horsetail roots in with them, which I removed. (they were both the black shoelace ones and the tiger striped ones from new growth) If I'd transplanted with a soil-covered rootball they would have taken the horsetail with them.

Good luck - it sounds like a big task. At least the plants are tough as old boots!

[katkatkat]

Washing the soil off will be fun whilst the site water is turned off

Thanks for the advice!

[sparrow100]

Given where you are is likely cooler than where I am, can you wait till when the water's back on? I used a 40L trug filled from a water butt to wash mine, but there weren't so many to do.

[katkatkat]

I don't know when it goes back on and I've only a month to get my stuff moved before I need to hand back the raised bed (and the rhubarb is already in full leaf!). I think I've managed to pursuade someone to lend me some 5 gallon water carriers to bring some water in.

[lottie dolly]

Dig it up,put into a container,and let it fill with rain water,at least it will be up ready,and getting washed out a bit,ready for replanting,as well as keeping the lant happy until,if you wait to long,the ground could dry up to hard to digg up.

[sparrow100]

Rhubarb should be ok too - shifted that last year from a boggy bit to a higher, better-drained area and it romped away.

Photos of the new place are compulsory though!

[WendyC]

I don't know when it goes back on

I have the power of the water key on our site and will turn it on again by the 1st April. There is a large notice on the notice board and still I get asked when it's going back on! Is there a notice on your site notice board? Is there someone you could ask?
Agree washing the roots is the way to go.

[katkatkat]

The only notice board I've seen has very old posters of different pests and diseases. Might try and remember and ask someone if anyone's passing my plot next time I'm there.

[katkatkat]

Photos of the new place are compulsory though!

There are a few on the wee blog that I've set up

https://allotmenteeringintherain.wordpress.com/

[sparrow100]

Oooh lovely - am signed up!

[bario1]

The Council usually turn the water back on in March, so just check every day!