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.
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