I have horsetails around my pond and growing in between other shrubs and plants. I've tried everything from cutting them just below the dirt to actually following the root as best I could and digging them up. They snap off before I can get much of them out. I've tried Round-Up and nothing works to get rid of these. I recently had a professional come and spray them with something. Some are browning and others are just as obnoxious as ever. I would like to take a blow torch to them, but that would just light up the rest of my landscaping. Is there anything I can do to get rid of these things once and for all, since they are a perennial?
Any suggestions would be welcome.....
Jennifer
How do I get rid of Horsetails?
Napalm.
But seriously.......They are so waxy RoundUp usually doesn't work. You might try snapping off the top, and squirting some RoundUp down inside the tube. I would use a real strong mix (purchase the concentrate instead of pre-mixed) and include a commercial surfactant (not dish soap, use a real chemical surfactant) that has a product in it tthat "opens the pores" of the plant so more poison gets in. Good luck!
K
I've had some luck with using the round-up weed and shrub killer. You have to use it 2 or 3 times to kill em for good.
I think you can get rid of them by changing the soil ph too, but I don't know what it is you add. Napalm is still a good option, Ha ha!
K
Thanks K. I don't know what Napalm is.
It's the flaming defoliant gel bombs used in the Vietnam war to remove the jungle so our soldiers could see what to shoot at. Needless to say, a little Napalm in our gardens would go a long way. I just say "Napalm" for things that are notoriously difficult to get rid of.
K
(Edited....clearly showing my age too.....LOL)
This message was edited May 5, 2005 1:36 PM
Lime the soil to sweeten it up and the horsetail will wither and fade away....works great!
That's it! Lime! Thanks RB! I knew there was something that would do that!
K
Thank you both. Now I see why you suggested Napalm, Kachinagirl. Along the same lines as my blow torch idea!! I'll try the lime this weekend, RikerBear. Since we are in the same area it must work here.
J
Your both welcome :-)
It takes a long time for a horse to grow a tail.....
ely
My sister gave me a pot of horsetail - and in the pot it is going to stay. I like the plant, but do not want to have to go to great lengths to keep it in check. I have about 5 different plants that may not be classified as "invasive" and I am still spending a lot of time digging them up and tossing them - Japanese anemone, physostegia virginiana, lirope, red valerian (centranthus ruber), Gladiolus callianthus, and to a certain extent, croscosmia.
Stick 'em in pots and take them to the San Diego Round Up!
K
San Diego is kinda far - I am still hoping that there will be a roundup organized in the Sacramento area in the near future. I am always thinning out my garden and I hate throwing anything out. Modesto is not too far from Sacramento. Kachinagirl - maybe you can help us Sacramento gardeners get a round up started????? You can have whatever I thin out ;)
We were talking about starting a Round Up train! You could hop on there, I can hop on here and others can hop on down the line! We can get to know eachother on the trip........sound enticing?
K