mares tail

[waggi]

why oh why  ???
is there anything that will kill this stuff
it must be the worst weed in the lottie it is worse than the dreaded coach grass >:(
HELP
matt
:D

[waggi]

[busy_lizzie]

The simple answer is NO.  It does seem the most difficult weed to deal with.  I believe it goes back to prehistoric times and the roots can grow so long that miners have come across them when mining for coal.  We have got lots on our plot and all I do is dig it out as much as I can to keep it to a minimum. I don't use any weedkillers, so have no idea what chemicals you could use on them.  At least it looks pretty and doesn't seem to do any serious damage.  Have heard on here that you can even make an infusion out of it as a cure for mildew.  :) busy_lizzie

[Ceri]

This is my personal demon - the only helpful comment I can share is that I was told that as their roots are so so deep, they take nutrients from lower down in the soil so causing little or no problems for veg growing in terms of nutrient deficiency.  I don't actually know if this is true, but it makes me feel better.

Now I just hoe on a twice weekly basis and dump the stuff - doesn't kill it but at least it looks less messy. 

[Sarah-b]

Can only offer sympathy - have had that stuff on a previous plot and there was no shifting it.
but we did still manage to produce loads of veggies.
Good luck.
Sarah

[slugcatcher]

I have seen the same article as "busy_lizzie", that this is one of the oldest none "plants" (weed)

As some of you ladies will probably agree it may be a male plant "old and stubborn to shift" ;D

Sorry it doesn't help with the problem, sounds like your problem might be mine as well (soon)

Ron ::)

[Mrs Ava]

It has just started showing itself on my plot.  Digging it out is the only way to go, but I don't really mind it.  Rather that than horrible couch grass.  I like to think of them as Elves Christmas trees.  ;D

[waggi]

they seemed to have all sprouted up over night

little bu**ers

but i to am going to think of them as elves christmas trees to i think thats good  ;D  ;D  ;D

[Ceri]

There are three bits of advice I'm going to trial this year

First, I'm going to try a double act of growing a green manure and shading out the marestail at the same time - something like lupins sown thickly enough is tall and bushy enough to create a decent shade - HDRA recommend shading it out over a couple of seasons

Secondly I'm going to try the 'stretch their necks' folklore and

Thirdly, just keep hoeing!

I'll let you know which, if any, work 

[djbrenton]

If you remove the soil to a depth of 30 foot or so then lay a 2 inch layer of sodium chloride before importing new ( sterilised ) soil you have a 43% chance of knocking it back for a year or two. I've decided to live with it instead.

[Ceri]

no sense of adventure!!!

[johcharly]

I've got mares tail and bindweed on my lottie and I'd take the mares tail every time, but I am also trying the stretching it's neck thing this year.

[Muddy_Boots]

Hi All,

Apparently, having Mare's Tail is indicative of having water under the ground beneath it - at what depth is anyone's guess, given the root depth!  However, another property it seems to have is that it produces a really good natural green dye, so if any of you have friends who spin wool and dye their own, the might be grateful for the cuttings!  One person's pest is anothers' recycle - maybe!

Sorry, can't help with getting rid of it but, as has been said, doesn't seem to interfere with plants except by coming up in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Does anyone know if you can make plant feed from it like you can with nettles?  However, if it's anything like nettles, make sure you have a clothes peg over your nose after letting it fester for a while!

Good luck  :D

[legless]

apparently it contains a lot of silicone so makes good pan scourers.

but can you make wine from it???

i have a lot of it but its quite easy to hoe and it doesn't shade anything.

[Beryl]

If you want to try and weed killer - something  with glysophate in it such as Round-up or Tumbleweed will work eventually but it will need several applications.
on any regrowth. Same for bindweed too.

[waggi]

thanks to you all
i am just going to live with it and well dig it out and hope for the best
thanks again

[waggi]

they are kind off pritty though
ahhhhhhhhhhhh

[Mrs Ava]

Don't tell anyone Waggi, but I quite like them.  When they first poke through, they don't look disimilar to apsaragus, then as they come up, they don't twine around anything, they don't have huge leaves, they are ferny and as was said, they don't shade anything.  I pull them out when them appear smack bang in the middle of a row of seedlings, but I don't loose any sleep over them.  Bindweed and nettles, now they make me cross!

[Multiveg]

apparently it contains a lot of silicone so makes good pan scourers.

but can you make wine from it???

i have a lot of it but its quite easy to hoe and it doesn't shade anything.

Along with the silicon - it is supposedly good as a foliar feed , what was the reason - can't remember but I did post something about this somewhere on a4a - grr lost my links to things after a reinstall (sill not complete!) and will leave the search til later as it is time to install msn messenger 7.0 after a cuppa!

[Multiveg]

I forgot to add that couch grass roots/rhizomes also have a horticultural use!

And as for ground elder- gqt a while back, one of the panel said omelettes!

[Aidy]

I too have tons of it, the past two years I would just hoe it down, this year (due to the new baby) I am trying weed gaurd and growing most of my veg through it but not me spuds, will let you know how this year turns out.