Horse/ Mare's tail
Keith Williams
>In article <419scq$1k...@unixfe.rl.ac.uk>, k...@inf.rl.ac.uk (Keith Dancey (01235) 44 6373) writes:
>|> The problem is that [Mare's Tail] has almost no leaf surface, and is
>|> slightly hairy, so systemic herbicides (such as glyphosate) are not
>|> absorbed in sufficent quantities to harm the plant sufficiently to
>|> kill it. It has a large root system, and can regenerate from just
>|> about any fragment of it.
>Benlate comes with a thing called "activex", a wetting agent, could this be
>useful in wetting the damn things with weed killer?
I remember hearing of two "cures".
1. Mix washing up liquid with your glyphosate to help wet the plant
2. Mix glyphosate with peat and pile that on the patch. The theory
being that as the younger stems and leaves force their way through
they become covered with the stuff and so are able to absorb it.
I have not tried either and so am unable to recommend them!
The method I use is a plumbers blow torch. I'm not sure that it
controls them but it gives an immense feeling of satisfaction as I
watch them shrivel and smell them burning!
Keith
Gareth Jones
> I remember hearing of two "cures".
>
> 1. Mix washing up liquid with your glyphosate to help wet the plant
>
> 2. Mix glyphosate with peat and pile that on the patch. The theory
> being that as the younger stems and leaves force their way through
> they become covered with the stuff and so are able to absorb it.
>
I thought Glyphosate was supposed to be quite safe because it breaks
down on contact with the soil (and peat??)
--
__________________________________________
<Gareth Jones> Gar...@swansea.demon.co.uk
gl.j...@sihe.ac.uk
"Reality sucks - go watch a Star Trek"
Martin Tom Brown
Gar...@swansea.demon.co.uk "Gareth Jones" writes:
> In article: <4cljdh$p...@newshost.mag-net.co.uk> ke...@mag-net.co.uk (Keith
> Williams) writes:
>
> > I remember hearing of two "cures".
> >
> > 1. Mix washing up liquid with your glyphosate to help wet the plant
> >
> > 2. Mix glyphosate with peat and pile that on the patch. The theory
> > being that as the younger stems and leaves force their way through
> > they become covered with the stuff and so are able to absorb it.
I've always found painting it on the young new stems effective
(mixed with a strong wetting agent to make sure it sticks)
There are some proprietory gel formulations that work too.
If you don't mind spade work you can dig chunks out when you are
really feeling energetic. Its roots go very deep!
> I thought Glyphosate was supposed to be quite safe because it breaks
> down on contact with the soil (and peat??)
It binds to clay and is broken down, I'd guess that it remains active
for a short while in peat until it washes out into the soil. I doubt
that #2 is effective or advisable if small children or pets are about.
Regards,
--
Martin Brown <mar...@nezumi.demon.co.uk> __ CIS: 71651,470
Scientific Software Consultancy /^,,)__/
Keith Dancey (01235) 44 6373
In article 821141...@nezumi.demon.co.uk, Martin Tom Brown <Mar...@nezumi.demon.co.uk> writes:
>
>If you don't mind spade work you can dig chunks out when you are
>really feeling energetic. Its roots go very deep!
>
I believe the roots of horse tail extend six metres into the soil. Someone
posted a report from a quarrying friend who had spotted horse tail roots
thirty feet deep (possibly in a sandy deposit).
Better get one of those long handled jobs!-)
Keith Dancey
Earth Observation Data group
Nick Maclaren
|>
|> In article 821141...@nezumi.demon.co.uk, Martin Tom Brown <Mar...@nezumi.demon.co.uk> writes:
|> >
|> >If you don't mind spade work you can dig chunks out when you are
|> >really feeling energetic. Its roots go very deep!
|>
|> I believe the roots of horse tail extend six metres into the soil. Someone
|> posted a report from a quarrying friend who had spotted horse tail roots
|> thirty feet deep (possibly in a sandy deposit).
More to the point is how far down you have to dig before it will
have difficulty regrowing. I don't know, but I can give some
answers for field bindweed in sandy soil.
This is scarcely discouraged by being dug out to 1' down, and
will regrow from at least 2'. Repeated digging at even 6" will
kill it, but needs to be done several times a year for many
years. Similar remarks apply to glyphosate application, though
it is more effective than digging.
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QG, England.
Email: nm...@cam.ac.uk
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679
John E. Fox
>
egrow from at least 2'. Repeated digging at even 6" will
>kill it, but needs to be done several times a year for many
>years. Similar remarks apply to glyphosate application, though
I suspect that the only sure-fire way of not having
mares tail in your garden is to move house.
I have kept ours under some control by repeated treatment
with glyphosate. I make up the solution in wallpaper paste
and paint it on the stems. (Wear gloves)
It is slow, but in the garden it is gradually clearing the weed.
The main problem is that is in the lawn as well and keeps
re-infesting.
Painting the stuff on avoids spray drifting on to other plants
and is very economical, no wasteage. Works for bindweed as well.
John Fox
Stella Grieve
wrote thus:
>j
>>In article <419scq$1k...@unixfe.rl.ac.uk>, k...@inf.rl.ac.uk (Keith Dancey (01235) 44 6373) writes:
>>|> The problem is that [Mare's Tail] has almost no leaf surface, and is
>>|> slightly hairy, so systemic herbicides (such as glyphosate) are not
>>|> absorbed in sufficent quantities to harm the plant sufficiently to
>>|> kill it. It has a large root system, and can regenerate from just
>>|> about any fragment of it.
>>Benlate comes with a thing called "activex", a wetting agent, could this be
>>useful in wetting the damn things with weed killer?
>I remember hearing of two "cures".
>1. Mix washing up liquid with your glyphosate to help wet the plant
>2. Mix glyphosate with peat and pile that on the patch. The theory
>being that as the younger stems and leaves force their way through
>they become covered with the stuff and so are able to absorb it.
>I have not tried either and so am unable to recommend them!
>The method I use is a plumbers blow torch. I'm not sure that it
>controls them but it gives an immense feeling of satisfaction as I
>watch them shrivel and smell them burning!
>Keith
I have this problem with Horse Tail well established in one part of my
garden, and of all the weeds I have, and I have everything, it's the
worst. Close-cutting it in a lawn eradicates it eventually,on paths
and in borders a layer of polythene with mulch on top also does the
same. It can't be dug out completely, it's too deep, and doesn't grow
in shallow soils. Weedkillers? Well, all the strong ones will do it
damage if the tops are crushed before application, also a little fairy
liquid helps the weedkiller to adhere to the topgrowth. Normally, as I
don't want to wait a couple of years before I plant my borders, I dig
out as much as I can,then hand-fork it out, sometimes with a long
knife, which weakens it. Any bad patches that subsequently come up, I
dig the relevant perennial up, deep-dig the area again, and divide the
plant before replanting.
Some experts advise that we just have to live with it, one thing it
doesn't do is take nourishment from the plants it comes up through,as
its feeding roots,which are horizontal, run so deep. Continual hoeing
of the topgrowth also helps, in areas where it's possible.
Perhaps I should mention a plant catalogue I recently received,
advertising this at a princely price of £4.50! Perhaps we should
combine our pickings and make a lot of money. Good luck with this
beastie.
Stella Grieve.
a_gr...@blactoft.demon.co.uk
'Everybody has to be somewhere'
John E. Fox
>
>up among the roots of my (few) non weeds are awkward.
>I had planned to use a small paintbrush on my hands and knees but
>your wall paper paste idea sounds great. so .... can you give
>proportions/mix to make the paste. How about using a glyphosphate
>solution (spraying strength) instead of water in the paste?
>
>Des Higgins
I just made up standard spraying strength solution and
then added the dry paste/powder bit by bit until I got the right
sort of goo.
The beauty of paste is that it stays on the leaves for ages
so more of the herbicide gets in the plant.
It was sold as a product some time ago but I suppose the chances
of painting your skin were too high for general sales.
The down side is that you may get funny looks from the neighbours.
John Fox