[Bulletguy]

OK i have a serious Mares tail problem which after spending a small fortune on a variety of weedkillers, none of which 'worked' (no surprises there!), i bought a Sheen Flamegun. Next to dropping Napalm, the Flamegun is the only alternative option which does work. However it only keeps it at bay and tidies the place up but is every Arsonists dream to use. Apparently there is no permanent solution (short of mass excavation or 'nuking' the damn place which wouldn't make me too popular with the neighbours!). 

This year though i've now got a new 'invader'. Weird looking things which are like beige coloured tube shape stalks.   

Anyone any idea what these are and where they've come from? Have attached photos for the experts to peruse.

[Rallychef]

Direct quote from my horticulture lecturer at college " the only foolproof way of ridding mares tail from your garden is to move house!"  just about sums it up.

Sorry I can't help with the photo ident.

Regards Ian D

[Bulletguy]

Direct quote from my horticulture lecturer at college " the only foolproof way of ridding mares tail from your garden is to move house!"  just about sums it up.

Sorry I can't help with the photo ident.

Regards Ian D

He's right too.....i'd agree with that. Only problem is how you go about selling without any prospective purchaser knowing! The irony of the mares tail problem in my garden is it only 'surfaced' after spending a few grand having the 'garden' that was entirely ripped out and some fancy stonework put down to make life easier as i know nothing about gardening and wanted something 'maintenance free'.

Mares Tail is an absolute nightMARE!!

[BabbyAnn]

the things growing in the photos are ... marestail (horsetail).  These produce the spores that spread everywhere 

[Springlands]

Sorry to say but it looks likes horsetail in its 'baby' stage. 

[DD.]

Yup!

[sunshineband]

Aww yuss

Cut them off and burn them!

[Bulletguy]

That's strange then. They used to grow like thin miniature Christmas trees. This is the first time i've seen these weird things.

Well as you've probably read, i gave up long ago on weedkillers which are very expensive and kill the odd daisy or two. I use a flamethrower now. 

[sunshineband]

That's strange then. They used to grow like thin miniature Christmas trees. This is the first time i've seen these weird things.

Well as you've probably read, i gave up long ago on weedkillers which are very expensive and kill the odd daisy or two. I use a flamethrower now. 

Yes, you have seen the vegetative growth: these are the flowering inflorescences that grow up ahead of the green bits

[Eblana]

OMG I noticed hundreds of these on the plot behind mine.  The chap that worked it passed away late last year.  I had been strimming the plot for him while he was sick so I wonder would it be ok for me to go in and chop them down and burn them before they send out their spores and destroy the other plots.

[maloneranger]

Yes, it's the "flowering" parts.

Using a flamegun may be fun, but you're just killing the top growth.

It was in our garden when I moved in, in 1986. It came up in beds and in the cracks of paving nearby.

I relentlessly dug it out of the beds, and cut it off as it appeared in the paving.

I haven't noticed it in the beds, recently, but it still appears in the paving cracks.

This year I plan to re-lay the paving, put heavy plastic sheet over the cracks, and then fill with cement.
I will see if this works, in another few years. 

[gobs]

I could not help laughing when I saw the photos. Just how bad is that?

[Yorkie]

Those are truly impressive piccies, BG.  I've never seen the marestail at that stage of its life cycle before and they're very clear.

[snowdrops]

I could not help laughing when I saw the photos. Just how bad is that?

You've not been to my plot then, you'd split your sides laughing.

[gobs]

I wouldn't. It was only funny after the text.