[brianc]

Hi all
       My allotment is full of mares tail i have had it a year, i have removed as much as i can when digging
       but i know you can never clear it properly.
       My question is if i want to create a raised bed for salad crops would weed suppresent material stop
       the mares tail coming through ?.

[snowdrops]

Hi Brianc, no I don't think it would, eventually it would find its way in. My plot was riddled with it & I got really bothered by it. Then last year I decided to stop letting it get too me,I dig it out when I'm digging, then I wait for it to grow 7-10 cms before pulling it up,as that was what I read somewhere as by then it has expanded lots of energy into growth. I also realised because of how deep the roots are it doesn't take anything away from the plants I'm growing. Now there doesn't seem to be as much or I just don't worry about it so much.

[miggs]

As snowdrops has said you will probably not stop it coming back. I do what most people do now, just digging it out as and when it come's back.

[brianc]

Thanks snowdrop
It does my head in, when i took my plot on one year ago and started digging i got out all the couch grass
i left the mares tail roots because i thought they were dead roots, i soon found out different.

[snowdrops]

Oh dear we live & learn. You will never get rid of it entirel unless you move to a piece of ground that hasn't got it I was told once . But at least you know what you are dealing with.

[AnneB]

It has taken us four and a half years, but our plot is now rid of it.   

This is because we have sifted every bit of soil through a sieve into raised beds.   We were forced down this route for several reasons, horse tail being one of them, the others being large amounts of broken glass, stones, brick, nails and other rubbish (old spoons, shoes, carpet bits etc) throughout the soil.   Our plot was certainly a mess when we took it on.   

It has been a huge amount of work, but we are reaping the benefit.

[davetoddy]

Anne B , I am just starting what you did , am going to make a barrow sized sieve , ground absolutely full of glass bricks, carpets, nails , bathroom tiles , etc etc 

[Offwego]

don't know if its of any use but I read somewhere that a bread basket/ grocery tray is good for this

[AnneB]

Anne B , I am just starting what you did , am going to make a barrow sized sieve , ground absolutely full of glass bricks, carpets, nails , bathroom tiles , etc etc

I will post a picture when I take one tomorrow up at the plot.  OH made a sieve that stands on its own wooden frame using a galvanised wire mesh panel, the 6mm size, larger is too big, £3.99 from Wickes.

It has been worth its weight in gold.

Good luck with the sieving.  It does get tedious.  We do a bit of sieving, then something else!

[AnneB]

Somewhat belatedly here is a picture of the home made sieve in action.  OH is now sifting through the soil under the polytunnel roof.  You can see the sieved stuff underneath and the stones and rubbish left in the top.

[davetoddy]

Thanks for that Anne

[mrsbean]

like your idea anneb, OH said he,d make one. sorry for  butting in on your post davetoddy and good luck with your sieving.