[John]

If you have masses of the stuff then apply with a weeder bar on a watering can as per the instructions when the marestail is growing - about an inch or two high is enough.

If it is in small patches then bruise the stalks to aid absorbtion and use a fine spray to thoroughly wet the plant. If the marestail is big then just spray it.

I quote from my article Weeds and What to Do

Amicide

Amicide (Ammonium Sulphamate) is an effective weedkiller used for killing tree stumps and brushwood clearing. In effective it is crooked sulphate of ammonia (a chemical nitrogen fertiliser). The plant absorbs it, taking it to the roots and dying.

After 8 weeks or so, it reacts with the air to form sulphate of ammonia – adding a nitrogen boost to the soil. Re-planting is safe after 12 weeks. It may make the soil more acid – so check PH.

It is an expensive weed killer – best price I have found is from the organic gardening catalogue.

As with all chemical weed killers – read and follow the instructions very carefully. I forgot to add some detergent to the Amicide and it greatly reduced its effectiveness. I also find applying it to horsetail with a pressure sprayer, fine spray, most effective.

I would replant after 8 weeks if spot applying

[muntjac]

can i just correct everybody who calls it mares tail ,,,,,, its not mares tail is a flowering plant .the proper name is one of the following folks
bottlebrush plant, cat's tail, common horsetail, field horsetail, pipeweed, shave grass, scouringrushthere are two types of growth, in spring brown asparagus-like shoots appear with cones at the tips and these produce spores. olater the more familiar thin green, branched stems appear and these remain until the winter. both are produced from creeping underground rhizomes which can go down about 1.5 metres. In cross-section the rhizomes have six hollow channels and a fleshy core.
some of the alternative names come from the use of the plant as a pan scrubber, but I'm not sure if it is much use for shaving, but this may refer to its use in polishing wood the cells contain silica granules which might account for the toughness of the stems and horsetail has been recommended for treating brittle nails and preventing osteoporosis. It also has a diuretic effect and has been used to stem bleeding.
eradicating this weed is not easy and will take much persistence, continual removal will work - eventually! Regular close mowing will exhaust the rhizomes, but the patch must be isolated as growth will re-emerge from an adjoining area. Check early in the year for the cone-bearing shoots to stop the production of spores and remove any of the branched shoots later. Sowing turnips in the area has been shown to inhibit the growth of shoots, probably due to an inhibiting substance produced by the turnip; this would need to be done for a few seasons to exhaust the rhizomes. Small pieces of the rhizome will regrow, so cultivation of the area will compound the problem - it may be possible to follow most of the rhizome by careful use of a fork to tease them up, but they are very brittle and snap easily. Shoots are also produced from small nodules about 0.5cm in diameter, which are solid white flesh inside covered in a dark skin  These have probably arisen on the rhizomes and broken away when disturbedit is resistant to most weedkillers, but Glyphosate may have some success after repeated treatment. Dichlobenil and Amitrole are residual agents, and will prevent regrowth for a period in suitable areas. crush the stems first by trampling them to increase the penetration as they have a waxy surface. Some success has been reported using a selective weedkiller; a spray with Verdone Extra causes the topgrowth to die within a few days, but that is not the end of it. This is a good way to weaken and eventually kill the rhizomes as would constant cutting or pulling the stems. Perhaps it would be useful for knocking back any inaccessible growth among shrubs or at the base of a hedge.

 .

[shaun]

i know it as horsetail,it can grow through tarmac with no problem at all.
a friend had this in his back garden along his back fence.that backed onto open fields and couldnt stopit from comming in.so he refenced the back fence and buried a base panel(gravel board)the full depth and another one on top of that with mortar between the two.
i got him some roundup and he painted it neat onto each emerging shoot with a small paintbrush.this worked buts its a bit too much for your plot.

[milkman]

I am fortunate not to have to deal with marestail stuff on my plot.

I think I may have read some where on the forums that it might be worth putting some sort of vertical impermeable barrier down a couple feet between you and your neighbours plot.

Just thought that if you've gone to a lot of effort clearing it, it would be a shame to see it wasted by then having roots creeping back across from their side into your side.

But check with others cause it would involve a lot of work and I may have got this wrong.

[DD.]

I think I may have read some where on the forums that it might be worth putting some sort of vertical impermeable barrier down a couple feet between you and your neighbours plot.

Sadly, not a lot of use when the rhizomes of this stuff can reach a depth of 5'-6'. Much deeper has been known.

This link will tell you just about everything you need to know about whatever it's called in your neck of the woods....

http://www.t-c-m-rd.co.uk/invasive-weeds/horse-tail/

[Aidy]

Hosetail in my posts Munty  

[DD.]

Hosetail in my posts Munty  

Now that typo conjures up several images.  

[Aidy]

:shock:  oooops