Mare's tail getting me down

the_cat

Hi all

I have an allotment for the first time this year but as the title says, it is totally overrun with mare's tail.

I dug everything I could out in the autumn and have tried hard over this year to keep on top of it but I just can't!!

Does it get better after the first year? Is it worth putting chemicals on it? (not been keen to do this and other plot holders haven't got rid by using them) Does anyone have any suggestions?

I'm starting to lose the will to dig!! It all seems a bit pointless when it's covered with the stuff again a week later. Any advice gratefully received. I don't want to give up the plot but the workload to keep on top of it atm is just too much

Thanks in advance

kings981

I too have this problem in the garden I moved into at the beginning of the year. And however much I try to get rid of it by hand it comes back!! it is literally everywhere, between slabs, in every bed, even in the pond and I have it in the lawn now:(. Covering with black plastic for the next ten years isn't an option!!

I have done a lot of reading on the internet and none holds much hope for complete erradication - using organic or chemical methods. So I'm going with the approach of spending 1/2 an hour each week to remove as much as I can, with the hope that eventually the root weakens enough to not bother (or at least not so much). At least it looks a bit better for a few days after I have done it. And the rest I've resigned myself that I'm going to have to live with it!

But if anyone has any fool proof methods I'm signing up!!!

cubegame

Glyphosate and lots of it. Time after time after time.......

Stamp it all down before you spray though.

Daftanian

I have the same problem too and was hoping for some advice as well. It really is soul destroying seeing it spread around the garden and coming back year after year no matter what I try. :mad:

Farway

Mare's tail has been around longer than the human race, it is a survivor and complete irradication, apart from a nuclear blast, is not possible, you can only hope to control it

sorry

Mojisola

The problem with digging it out is that every broken piece of root you leave in the soil will become a new plant.

Despite always wanting to follow the organic option myself, I will make some exceptions. This is one of them. There is some good advice on this site - https://www.allotment.org.uk/articles/Weeds_and_What_to_do.php - about getting rid of the beast.

Blitz it, get it under control and then you will be able to use your allotment as you wish. Good luck!

alleycat`

I feel for you!
It is the ultimate survivor.
The only way to get shut of it is to dig it all out without breaking off a single bit of root.
If you manage to do that i'll start a new church worshiping you

Dig out as much as you can, and you'll have to keep spraying the rest as it comes back.

Control is about as good as it'll get for quite some time.

GreenFly_2

I have a similar problem and have decided to dig it out for as much and as long as it takes, apparently it takes about 3 years for the rhisomes to weaken and die, however when I planted Parsnips I noticed that the mare's tails failed to regrow in or around the parsnips, I do not know if this is a coincidence or something related to the parsnips. If anyone could check their parsnip patch to see if they notice the same results I would be interested in hearing back from you.

harib0uk

GreenFly wrote: »

I have a similar problem and have decided to dig it out for as much and as long as it takes, apparently it takes about 3 years for the rhisomes to weaken and die, however when I planted Parsnips I noticed that the mare's tails failed to regrow in or around the parsnips, I do not know if this is a coincidence or something related to the parsnips. If anyone could check their parsnip patch to see if they notice the same results I would be interested in hearing back from you.

I have it growing up around my parsnips... I just keep chopping the tops off...

from_the_site_linked_above wrote:

Without resorting to chemicals you can control/irradicate horse tail by digging/forking through the soil when it is in the right condition: ie not too wet and sticky!
Once you have removed as much as possible, any that shoots is easily dealt with. Before it reaches 3 ins/7cm high, hoe off an inch below the surface.
Eventually the food supply in the root is exhausted. Let it get bigger than stated and food begins to be stored in the roots again, and round and round you go ad infinitum.

janibrown

Just found this online for Mare's tail it looks really good

http://www.progreen.co.uk/index.php?c=55&p=156&gclid=CIrg4vjc9J8CFc9i4wodTg2gXQ

Daftanian

janibrown wrote: »

Just found this online for Mare's tail it looks really good

http://www.progreen.co.uk/index.php?c=55&p=156&gclid=CIrg4vjc9J8CFc9i4wodTg2gXQ

Thank you, not heard of this before. It seems quite expensive but if it does the job it will be well worth it. :T