Fluther: How do you prevent Horsetail and is it the most impossible ...

How do you prevent Horsetail and is it the most impossible plant to get rid of?

Asked by flo (13313

) November 4th, 2013
10 responses
“Great Question” (0

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Is this it? I thought it looked similar to a rat’s tail in color as well.
Added: This is a result I found by googling but they look different.
Anyway how do they prevent it, if this is the right plant?

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Topics: plant, horticulture, gardening, botany, backyards, Horsetail, rat's tail

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Answers

Prevent it from doing what? Spreading?

gailcalled (54647

)“Great Answer” (1

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From getting there, from spreading. Added: Getting rid of it is the devil of a job I understand.

flo (13313

)“Great Answer” (0

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I wonder if it’s as hard to get rid as mint? That stuff spreads like wildfire.

Katniss (6656

)“Great Answer” (0

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But mint is gooooooood.

flo (13313

)“Great Answer” (1

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It doesn’t seem to be in this group.

flo (13313

)“Great Answer” (0

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Japanese knotweed is a virulently invasive plant, as are bamboo, garlic mustard and kudzu, just to name a few examples. Eraticating them is a herculean task.

Mt family maintains a small pocket park in Arlington, Ma., off the bike path and used as a rest stop for bikers. The landscapers come through every month during the growing season and weedwhack the knotweed to the ground. it grows back almost over night. The roots run horizontally below the soil line, similar to mint.

gailcalled (54647

)“Great Answer” (0

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I know this is blasphemy to say here but… have you tried Round-up herbicide, (glyphosate)? You apply it when the plant is actively growing and it gets drawn in through the leaves and down to the roots killing the plant in 3–4 days. Very effective.

LuckyGuy (43882

)“Great Answer” (1

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If this is your plant, then they get about 2–3 foot tall and spread like crazy and it is an awful thing to have to deal with. I don’t usually recommend herbicides but in the case of horsetail I think it is justified. I don’t know how far it is effective. The best method to keep this weed from taking over your garden is to practice prevention. Remove the shoots as soon as they appear above the ground. This will reduce infestation if carried out over a number of years. If horsetail appears in lawns, it can be kept in check by mowing regularly.

Smitha (5778

)“Great Answer” (4

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@gailcalled I’m looking for the word Horsetail in the article.

@LuckyGuy @Smitha
I am not sure about glyphosate. I don’t know. Is it what they said a few weeks ago that the insects are now feeding on it?

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/infoservices/pesticidefactsheets/toxic/glyphosate.php
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/25/roundup-herbicide-health-issues-disease_n_3156575.html

http://permaculturenews.org/2012/11/01/why-glyphosate-should-be-banned-a-review-of-its-hazards-to-health-and-the-environment/

flo (13313

)“Great Answer” (0

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@LuckyGuy @Smitha the links are not for you since you are making an exception for this problem.
Thank you. all.

flo (13313