Horrible Horsetail

[allotment_chick]

Found this whilst looking for asparagus info - this is nothing to do with asparagus but, when we find ourselves digging out the umpteenth horsetail shoot, we can ponder if we would be able to sell the crop to the Russians.....  ;)

The Ancient Greeks used horsetail in the treatment of wounds and the Romans used it as a vegetable, an animal feed and a medicine. Culpeper said it was 'very powerful to stop bleeding, either inward or outward, and eases the swelling, heat, and inflammation of the fundamental, or privy parts, in men and women.' The Chinese use E.hiemale, or mu zei, to cool fevers and as a remedy for eye inflammations such as conjunctivitis and corneal disorders, dysentery, flu, swellings and haemorrhoids. Recent research in Russia has apparently demonstrated that horsetail is effective in removing lead accumulations in the body. The dried stems may be used as a metal polish, hence the common name pewterwort.

Whistles made form the stalks of Horsetail are used to call the spirits.

AC

[allotment_chick]

[Ceri]

somebody e-mailed me a 'cure' for marestail that she'd read in a paper the other day - it was sent in from somebody from a horticultural society and he said it worked for him.  Apparently very thickly sowing turnip seed in spring, and again in september stopped the marestail in its tracks and his plot has been clear since. Hmmm, I'm so desperate now I might well try this next year - don't grow brassicas anyway so wouldn't have a rotational problem.  Anybody heard of this or tried this before??

[allotment_chick]

Hi Ceri - haven't heard of this - but if you do give a go,please report back on its effectiveness!
AC