Have you noticed the rampant spread of horsetail (Equisetum) in gardens and public landscapes in recent years? And 'the theme of ever-increasing number of requests for professional gardeners across the country faced. Where does this stuff come from and how it was to get into these landscapes? And 'manageable? How? And most say that the problem of all: why not [insert name of popular herbicide here] kill?
Listen to this last appeal by adesperate gardeners:
"Fear of help, I am the return of horsetail year, I have a nice slope in my front yard mulched which is landscaped with evergreens, rhododendrons, azaleas, bulbs and a pair of pretty trees, flowering crab. This area trails for a culvert, which is a wetland and marsh iris -. it a really fun project, but potentially come through the mulch horsetail We just moved into the house last year and tried to get rid of it gallons of RoundUp!invasive vine, but it took forever and not a little 'more attractive. We welcome all suggestions and all you can give us. "
I feel like scenes from visitors to the garden and emailers several times per season. Sources of this intruder usually turns garden "in the wetlands near" and "We had brought a load of mulch last year .. .." It is often maintained in a professional landscape near medium-high level with business and commercial center in the parking lot sawPlants. Sometimes appears as a new outbreak near the base of trees and shrubs installed recently, or in addition to an investment of a dug by the roadside or meadow wet desert. While the most common source is a domestic garden in the vicinity of wetlands, it is a foregone conclusion that a large number of new infestations of delivered loads of mulch and landscape caused, unfortunately, in containers or "balled-and-burlapped" plants. Nursery and shredded bark has long been a source of highly invasive weeds andaggressive grasses, stocks mainly imported from dubious sources, both on-and off-shore. All this indicates the need, mulch or plant sources to choose carefully. Buy only from reliable and, if possible, local sources. Reject any container plant, which can be blocked by weeds or weedy ground appear - especially if the weeds have seed heads show.
Horsetail (Equisetum) is easily among the most persistent and pernicious "weeds" of all time ... withwithstand millions of years is developing the most insignificant of defense, threw the gardener in his inventive and desperate modern uncontrollably. Giving the impression, as a diminutive, long-needled, single seedlings of pine ancestral ranging from a few inches, as much as the foot-and-half, horsetail is thin black roots underground journey, usually a few meters over a single season before emerging as a new installation. Pulling at this point only serves to force theintact in the new underground facility to emphasize (or several new) direction, a situation exacerbated already almost unmanageable. But there is some good news to go along with all the evil.
First the good: Almost every creature (including us) can - and often does - use horsetail for food. Delicate growing tips, for example, extra virgin olive oil with other vegetables, vegetables, stir fried chicken breast and cut into cubes, a pleasant taste and texture. It may also be some nutritional valueof which I do not know.
Well, I'm afraid the bad news: it can be incredibly difficult to control. . . Even more difficult to drive. There are four approaches to deal with a ponytail ... not everyone will agree, no doubt, quite acceptable.
As attempts emailer 1 above, can be sprayed with Roundup several times during the first year, the active growth. Whenever three or four inches tall, has struck again! Do not waste time spraying hard granddaddies old ... Beat them down andwait until new growth has reached the optimal level for treatment. (See note below).
2 Ponytail can not stand up - in all, deeply disturbing, hacking, ripping, tearing, removal and destruction - which, if covered already tried RoundUp, may be their best option. Strangely, I have a similar situation in most of our gardens. Ground is much improved in a bed next to a display Daylily low, damp stain. Horsetail discovered land enriched and have literally exploded inwith a vengeance! The only way out and rescue the naked root daylilies to remove all traces of the parasite to be that healthy crops of horsetail with every weapon in the arsenal to go: shovel, wheelbarrow, Farmers, and sprays - and a lot of time and several pairs of jeans really dirty now. And 'the season of growth take-kill, to kill the growth. Unfortunately, of course, the adjacent site is still wet there and I'm sure it will return the horsetail. A constant battle.
A furtherthought, if you've never Option # 3, to allow the tenant or his horsetail adjacent pods ripe for picking. Snap off and destroy, you see. Even if you do not really need to spread the seeds (Metro horsetail makes good), are much easier to evict them from gardens where the soil is not infiltrated by two sets of seeds and root causes. Seed grown under the soil surface to rest - and fully capable of living - have been waiting years to get back on the revegetatedSurface.
3 Save desirable plants, carefully cleaned, cut planted somewhere else, losses and run. Abandonment. Perhaps it is not an acceptable option.
4 A final choice remains: Horsetail is little effect on established shrubs and trees also absorb their share of food and water, and in fact is not so unattractive plant mass in a ... a little 'like a rich, green carpet. You want to save the bulbs and other small objects ... but a populationSiberian Iris in different colors, heights and flowering times, for example in a sea of green, sometimes cultivated horsetail, may display attractive. Just a thought. On second thought, naw!
Whatever you choose always, neither you nor our friends e-mail, probably never completely get rid of this miserable pest control wetlands ... and control will be an ongoing battle. My inclination is to somehow learn to live with - and suffer much less wear on the back, jeans, and the heartSoul. In addition, although manufacturers claim that certain herbicides are totally safe, I'm trying to reserve not yet revealed any potential long-term consequences of repeated use of 'Ol Mother Earth and in the homes of its inhabitants harbor.
Note: Due to the post, to the use of "gallon" I think that turned the word apparently less expensive, premixed, 'amateur' version of gardeners with RoundUp impractical integrated trigger sprayer instead aconventional cap. In my opinion this would be a perfectly acceptable choice to beat a few dandelions, chickweed, plantain, or become, but when it comes to this rugged ancient inhabitants of the primordial swamp and wetlands, the development of prehistoric investedeons toughness comes - a resounding "no I think so! "Go for the concentrate. It 'can be more expensive at first but if the gallons of concentrate, you get the picture, and compare it with the price of allthose girls have not yet been ineffective premixed solution, there is a significant savings of money and the final result. Apply at the rate of 1-1/2 to 2 ounces per gallon of water, and apply a large project in a very quiet day, early in the morning. I highly recommend, along with an assistant, who will wear to protect a large piece of cardboard or a poly film to evaluate the plants, and mishap to the dispersion. Be very careful where you walk, after spraying - will almost certainly getSome of the material on the bottom of the shoes, which can lead to a trail of footprints in a completely dead lawn. Wash your hands and clothes immediately after spraying to prevent accidental transmission of residues on indoor plants and to avoid any unforeseen complications.
