[johnyboy]

Are there any tips for starting the year in the best way to try and keep on top of Mares Tail as my plot and those around me are full of it? any tips would be really helpful.

[DD.]

Keep the hoe moving, or as Aunty would say, "Never let it see a Sunday".

[Yorkie]

It's a real thug as you've found out  

Weedkiller can work, but only after you've done a lot of work to bruise the stems of it first so that the chemicals can be absorbed rather than run off the silica coating.

Generally, though, it's a question of just keeping on top of it manually.  Pull /dig it out as soon as you see it.  As Aunt Sally says, never let it see a Sunday.  If you constantly hoe it off before it gets very big, it doesn't have the chance to set spores and thus reproduce.

All plants work through photosynthesis - they get their energy by sunlight on their leaves.  If you keep the size of the leaves permanently small, there is less energy in the plant going down to the roots and eventually you will weaken it.

But it will probably always be with you to one degree or another.  It's a prehistoric plant, literally.

[Yorkie]

  Snap, DD.  Aunty's saying is certainly well ingrained!

[DD.]

It's been whipped drummed into us! 

[johnyboy]

Thanks everyone for the tip it appears that battle must commence immediately. Hope you all enjoy the sunny day today 

[Yorkie]

Well, you could have your breakfast first 

[DD.]

With highs of 3^oC being forecast today, with the associated wind chill taking it down to -1^oC, I'll enjoying it from inside!

Perhaps you could pop your rough location into your profile, it can assist in allowing for regional variations when giving advice.

[Ian_A]

yes with horsetail (ie:the land variety rather than mares tail - the water variety) keep hoeing. You wont get rid of it totally but regular hoeing will keep it very much at bay

[Nikkithefoot]

I've got a friend who has finally got on top of but not yet fully conquered this horrendus weed after 5 years of continued effort, hoeing and digging. He reckons another 5 years and it might be gone.

[Ian_A]

let's just hope he hasnt left even one tiny fleck of it left in the soil...........or it will have been in vain

[Nikkithefoot]

Oh its still there allright, but now manageable rather than depressing. He will still continue his efforts and that's where he's hoping in another 5 years it might have gone.

[Kajazy]

You have my sympathy - I have it too! Just don't let it get big, and then it doesn't seem anywhere near as daunting.

 My personal least favourite are the parts that come up first, looking a bit like toadstools, that release thousands of spores/seeds as soon as you kick them (yes, I made the mistake of kicking one in frustration!) - you learn to have a healthy respect for what is actually a pretty phenomenal plant (if only it didn't get in the way of all your beautiful veggies!).

[prakash_mib]

dont worry about them. just pull them whereever you find'em. I dont like hoeing them. If you run the hoe twice you are damaging root twice and you will certainly miss the chopped root in the soil due to its colour.
on a wet day with wellies. walk around and slowly drag the plant holding it at its very bottom. you will atleast get 6" of the root out, and leave just over 15 feet under the ground  .
keep repeating it and it will reduce...
never goes off though.. as they've survived from jurassic age.