Taken On Allotment – Horsetail

[Al PParticipant]

Hi Charles

I hope you are well.

I have taken on a new allotment to increase growing area, and with it plenty of horsetail. My father-in-law (and I will share) has taken on the plot two to its left which does not have it – and will hopefully ‘come to production’ sooner with some mulch and compost. The plot is about 30m long and 5 m wide.

I have read plenty about horsetail / mares tail and difficulty in removing but have no experience of it. I am looking for a do dig / organic fix of course – as am totally converted to your methods. This mission can take its time while we sort the other plot out – i.e. theres no hurry.

Would you be able to let me know how I might best try and be rid of it? I have read that you recommend several layers of cardboard and thick plastic. If so – I would need a lot – do you know of any larger scale suppliers at all?

A couple of pictures attached. The horsetail doesn’t look much at the moment as can be seen, but its was obviously heavily infested across much of the plot a few month ago.

Many Thanks

Best Regards

Al

[charlesModerator]

Al, approach horsetail like bindweed, except longer lived and more vigorous initially.
Normal thick perennial-weed-mulch in year one, regular pulling as much as you can, roots grow weaker over 3-4 years… no miracles but steady progress.
I am sure others will have input – Stringfellow? He had marestail I recall, past tense.

[StringfellowParticipant]

Hi guys. Yes I had horsetail covering about 4/5ths of an allotment back in summer 2012. I was thorough; two full years of mulching under 800 grade black polythene followed by consistent trowelling and hoeing of any regrowth. It’s all but gone now, so there is hope for you! You have to be persistent & determined for sure, but sound advice in Charles’s books got me off to a great start. Good luck 🙂

[Al PParticipant]

Charles / Stringfellow

Thank you both for the advise. This sounds like its going to be interesting, if not all fun…

Thanks

Best Regards

Al

[MatthewParticipant]

Hi stringfellow,

I was wondering at all when you had the 800 grade black polythene over the soil, you lifted it up to dig out any of the horsetail or you just left it there for two seasons?

[StringfellowParticipant]

Hi Matthew, just caught this!

No, pointless digging out horsetail during it’s growing season under mulch. The whole idea of light exclusion is to let the plant try and grow; that way its parent root is exhausted as it attempts to grow constantly without light. With horsetail and bindweeds etc. it’s the parent root that is too deep to dig out, so mulching is a reasonable alternative. I believe it will tire the plant more effectively than constant foliage removal, but I could be wrong – Charles? HTH

[MatthewParticipant]

So its best to leave the plastic sheet on for the whole growing season and at the end pull any horsetail which have died or weakened.

I have already added a large mulch of compost/leaf mould on top of the soil where the horsetail was growing and have placed a sheet over the top. I think they grew so well in a particular part of my garden because it was very dense clay soil which had not had anything growning there for a while.

I was just worried because I read horsetail spreads through spores in april/may time and do not want them spreading more.

[charlesModerator]

Matthew you can just leave it to die in the darkness.
Undisturbed soil has less need to recover than disturbed soil, same as with people. So while the polythene is on, just leave be.
Once you remove the polythene to grow your plants, whether it’s after 4 months or 2 years, (the timing is not written in stone), you do need to keep pulling before too much photosynthesis can reinvigorate the parent roots.

[StringfellowParticipant]

Yes, leave the sheeting in place and then trowel out any visible top growth when you come to permanently remove the sheeting; any living, visible horsetail will be white/ pinkish in colour.

From casual observation over the last few years, I think this plant is happy almost any where and doesn’t struggle with competition!

When I first got my plot and the spore bearing stems appeared in various plots on our site, I was, like you, concerned about them making the situation worse. However, this was unfounded and if you are regularly on your plot, hoe in hand, you will remove any new growth should it occur, along with all the other “rubbish” that would like to take up residency on your plot.

If you understand the life cycle of the plant, it will help you manage it…and you’re welcome 😉

[StringfellowParticipant]

Posts crossed 🙂

[MatthewParticipant]

Thanks Charles and Stringfellow, hopefully I can weaken the horsetail next year. Does make a good green tea though!

[Gmd30Participant]

I’ve read through the articles and posts on marestail but have a specific question.

I’ve put down thick black plastic sheeting and will leave it there for the year. However, the marestail is showing up outside of this sheeting and is in an area which is difficult to cover (next to a fruit tree I planted over the winter). Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks

[charlesModerator]

Hello Gmd 30, you need to keep pulling any new growth around your tree.
If the hole in your polythene is large, you could slip pieces of cardboard under the poly and butt them up to the tree trunk, to reduce light entering, plus weight the poly sheet along all edges, again to reduce light entering.
Edges need care.

[HazelkyParticipant]

I haven’t had horsetail, but bindweed, nettles, creeping thistle and couch. I covered with cardboard, thick banana boxes – collected daily free from Morrison’s – overlapped and compost on top. It did take some time to collect and open the boxes and spread them with no gaps, but I have not had to uncover and I planted into the 10cm of compost same year. I only have a small allotment about a third standard size and just did a small bed at a time, 4 feet across and 10 feet long. With the little re emergence at sides and on path I have a trusty old bread knife. I slip it into the soil beside the root and saw the root as far down as I can, pull out and firm down so no light gets down. I have to Keep at it but only a few villains a week now – started last April. Maybe you could try the bread knife (or reasonable facsimile) around the tree? Good luck with whatever you do.

[NeilfrazermParticipant]

Al,
I refer you to p.50 in ‘No Dig Organic Home & Garden’.
Depending on your circumstances you can either try and block is as per Stringfellow or harvest it to make fertilizer or products as listed…
Personally, when I previously had it I threw it in a bin of water with nettles and comfrey for my own tomato and pepper feed…

BR
Neil

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