Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: zucchiniqueen on May 05, 2008, 20:03

Title: What is this weed?
Post by: zucchiniqueen on May 05, 2008, 20:03

Hi - this is probably a stupid question, but I am having trouble with a particular weed. I don't have a picture, but it looks like a tiny pine sapling, and has either a very long root or (more likely) is rhyzomic (even when i dig it out it just comes back in a matter of weeks). If this sounds familiar, any ideas of what to do about it (other than just keep pulling it out)? I'll try and get a picture, to be more helpful!
Thanks in advance

Title: What is this weed?
Post by: Swee'pea on May 05, 2008, 20:05

not the dreaded Mare's tail is it? :(

Title: What is this weed?
Post by: richyrich7 on May 05, 2008, 20:07

Sounds like mares tail to me Picture at the bottom of this page (http://www.allotment-garden.org/articles/Weeds_and_What_to_do.php)
Very difficult to get rid of just keep pulling it up it will die in a few years ! or you could crush it a bit then spray with a glyphosate weedkiller still take years tho' roots go down a metre or so. But don't give in to it it's very brittle and easy to pull  :D

Title: What is this weed?
Post by: weeeed on May 05, 2008, 23:13

I agree with richie. Mares tail is absolutely awful. All you can do is as you weed, put everything in a griddle and burn it. The smallest bit left just multiplies over and over. Sooorrrry! :cry:

Title: What is this weed?
Post by: zucchiniqueen on May 06, 2008, 08:48

Thats it! I couldn't find it on those weed identifier sites, but that is definately it. Poo. Well, I guess I'll just keep digging it up whereever I see it. Thanks for the advice though - i wouldn't have thought to burn it, so that might help too.