horsetail/marestail

[philstutt]

I need help.

I took over a disused allotment in June 2001.  I put most of it down under plastic, built a couple of deep beds and a small wildlife pond.  Last year more beds, less plastic and so it goes...

My problem is marestail.  I can deal with couch grass, creeping buttercup and the rest but marestail !  Does anyone know an organic way to rid my allotment of this dreadful weed ?

[philstutt]

[gavin]

Hi Philstutt

I am VERY fortunate never to have met horsetail/marestail on my plot - for all that it may be fascinating to have a pet plant dinosaur.

As far as I am aware, there is no organic way of dealing with it, apart from eventualy exhausting the root system by systematically removing all signs of it - not just on your plot, but on the whole area in which the plant appears.

I hope I'm wrong - so do keep looking and asking.  If it's any consolation, as it has a thick shiny skin, precious few chemicals deal with it either!  

Sorry -  Gavin   :-[

[Chloe]

Don't know of an organic way to get rid of it, but there is certainly a chemical on the market that gets rid of it.

Please, please tell me how your wildlife pond is getting on.  I am delighted with mine.
chloe

[bowring_park]

the only prodoct that garantees to kill marestail is a product by DAX it is called deep root or root out,you apply it while it is actively growing it takes 7-8 then breaks down into nitrogen you may have to do it twice.

if you are fortunate to know a farmer you can get a product called Besimit i think thats how you spell it,it is lethal hence you have to be in the trade and licensed,you spread the right amount on the surface rotavate deeply then cover with plastic it produces a gas which kills everything weed seeds slugs harmefull and good bugs