We've changed the name of this board from 'Greenfingered MoneySaving' to simply 'Gardening'. This is to help make it easier to find for the horticulturally inclined. The URL remains unchanged for the time being, so all links to the board are unaffected.

Mare's Tail infestation! How best to get rid cheaply?

mwddrwg
mwddrwg Posts: 517 Forumite
First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
in Gardening
Hi


We have a patch of land which is currently infested by Mare's Tail and it's very difficult to get rid of! The roots are very deep and have ended up growing through cracks in my drive way as well.
I was wondering if you have any tips on how to get rid of it and maybe can recommend a decent weedkiller?


Thanks in advance


:)
In deep...
«13

Comments

  • alanobrien
    alanobrien Posts: 3,308 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post First Anniversary Mortgage-free Glee!
    i use Rosate 360 on just about everything, seems to do the job. Its a Glyphosate based product.
  • savemoney
    savemoney Posts: 18,127 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary
    The leaves are quite waxy and may repel some weedkillers it works best if you bruise the plant by standing on it and moving your foot. Most people just pull it up and eventually it weakens the main plant. The root go very deep down
  • Arthog
    Arthog Posts: 223 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    I've never tried it with Mare's Tail, but this is how I get rid of persistent weeds.
    Prepare everything before you start. Fill small bottles eg from those yogurt drinks, with made-up glyphosate, trim and then dunk the end of a branch of the weed into each one, securing with clothes pegs which won't restrict the plants while they absorb the weedkiller.
    Leave for a couple of days, longer in the case of Mare's Tail, then refill and move the bottles to another part of the plant. It'll take some time and patience but it can be eliminated.
    If it isn't affecting a large area, another point of view is that it's an attractive plant and some people put other plants in with it.
  • -taff
    -taff Posts: 14,495 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
    Blocking out the light seems ot be the only way to control this stuff. I've got it everywhere, and I mean everyhwere.

    It's in the lawn, it grows in cracks in the drive, up through the compost, through landscape fabric etc etc.

    The only thing that has worked to get rid of it is to completely block out the light to it. However, nce you unblok it, it just grows again. I covered one area of the garden for 2 years, uncovered it, a week later - there it was.

    I've seen one person use distilled white vinegar and washing up liquid on it, and that appears to dry it out.

    I can't spary most of mine because it's in the lawn so I'll end up with a sea od cracked earth [ in this weather], so my plan is to get rid of the lawn entirely at some point.

    This may help
    http://www.nodiggardener.co.uk/2015/03/control-of-marestail-and-horsetail.html
    Shampoo? No thanks, I'll have real poo...
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Photogenic
    edited 9 August 2018 at 5:13PM
    Cheaply - move house.

    Most weedkillers will not touch it. The outer stem of the plant will not absorb it and trying to bruise and then spray large areas is not practical.

    There is a weedkiller called Kurtail which works best with spraying. It did not work for me as I was trying to 'dot and dab' in amongst cottage garden style flower borders. You will need to buy it online.

    I have been using the pulling method. As soon as one appears pull as much of the plant up as you can. And I mean as soon. I want you rugby diving onto any weed you see within seconds.

    I have been doing this since 2005 and I reckon in about another 6 - 10 years it may be fully gone from my garden* The damn plant is prehistoric - it is not going away anytime soon.

    *Sadly I am not joking, or exaggerating.
  • Camster
    Camster Posts: 135 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    I don't think there is any cheap solutions to getting rid of mares tail.

    I have it in my garden and I have used Kurtail. It turns the stems black within a few days and they die off, but it's quite expensive stuff.

    Another chemical called ammonium sulphamate used to be used, but it's no longer approved by the EU for use as a weedkiller, although you can still buy it as a compost accelerator. Again it's expensive.
  • harrys_nan
    harrys_nan Posts: 1,777 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Photogenic
    I have it in my garden, I pull it up when I can but, next door doesn't do anything in their garden and her garden is full of it, so I think I'm going to lose this battle.
    It's on the march to my garden.
    I have never had it before but did have another neighbour (in another house) who loved the pretty little flowers on bindweed and almost let it take over her garden
    Treat other's how you like to be treated.

    Harry born 23/09/2008
    New baby grandson, Louie born 28/06/2012,
    Proud nanny to two beautiful boys :j
    And now I have the joy of having my foster granddaughter becoming my real granddaughter. Can't ask for anything better

    UPDATE,
    As of today 180919. my granddaughter is now my official granddaughter, adoption finally granted
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    Camster wrote: »
    I don't think there is any cheap solutions to getting rid of mares tail.

    I have it in my garden and I have used Kurtail. It turns the stems black within a few days and they die off, but it's quite expensive stuff.

    Another chemical called ammonium sulphamate used to be used, but it's no longer approved by the EU for use as a weedkiller, although you can still buy it as a compost accelerator. Again it's expensive.


    These are probably your two best bets, short of moving house. Lots of 'accidents' on the way to that compost heap or a big ticket item from a specialist on-line supplier.
  • malebolge
    malebolge Posts: 500 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Camster wrote: »
    I don't think there is any cheap solutions to getting rid of mares tail.

    I have it in my garden and I have used Kurtail. It turns the stems black within a few days and they die off, but it's quite expensive stuff.

    Another chemical called ammonium sulphamate used to be used, but it's no longer approved by the EU for use as a weedkiller, although you can still buy it as a compost accelerator. Again it's expensive.
    I use ammonium sulphamate on my compost heap, and often have accidents which have resulted in stubborn weeds, including mare's tails, being sadly killed. :rotfl:I always mix it up with a dash of washing up liquid so it sticks to the plants - I mean compost - better. In case anyone's worried about why it was banned - it's a lot less harmful to animals/wildlife than other weedkillers still allowed; but a few years ago the EU regulators insisted that the main company that sold it test the products on animals. The company refused, saying there was already research in existence from America that involved animal testing so they would not allow animals to be unnecessarily experimented upon. The EU promptly banned it. So we are left with less efficient, more harmful to animals weedkillers.
  • fishybusiness
    fishybusiness Posts: 1,263 Forumite
    Kurtail, if you do use it don't forget PPE
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards