[AnneB]

Yes, I do as Tony does and try and pull as much of the root as possible out.   If you leave any part of it, it will take root again.  So if you do hoe, you need to pick up the debris afterwards.

I tend to only do that if I am growing something in the plot, such as onions, which I don't want disturbing by digging down right next to the crops.

I am beginning to fantasise about getting rid of mare's tail on my plot, I view it as a bit like a battle, something like a Dr. Who episode.  Me versus the primeval root.  Does it know it's under attack in plot 7?  Will the central core fight back and grow again....

[catweazle]

im thinking about painting mine with weed killer to see if that helps. its evil stuff

[Yorkie]

catweazle, it will only work if you bruise the stems first - they have a silica coating which the weedkiller will otherwise run straight off.

[Mr Rotavator]

I loosen the soil first so I can get hold of some root, then pull as much as I can, sometimes pull up to a foot-long piece.

[Kajazy]

I sometimes fantasize about going round the plot and syringing weedkiller into every evil little marestail head that pops up...haven't actually done it yet though...that will probably be the first sign that I've lost the plot!

[Growster...]

I sometimes wish that we had marestail instead of the four hundred and twenty-eight million blackberry brambles, which still lurk everywhere...

Mrs Growster discovered one yesterday, and when I eventually dug it out, it had 'Melbourne Blackberry Farms Ltd' stamped all over it!

And some of the thistles come from Japan I swear it...

[Christo]

I sometimes fantasize about going round the plot and syringing weedkiller into every evil little marestail head that pops up...haven't actually done it yet though...that will probably be the first sign that I've lost the plot!

LOL.  . I've often been lying in bed thinking up the same dastedly plot.

Clearly, as this would be an unlicensed application I've always seen sense.
That and the fact I would be rounded up and taken away by the police for trying to get young
Plants addicted to terrible narcotics.

It would be quite a sight though wouldn't it 

Chris

[Christo]

I  know I've posted about this recently but my current experience warrants discussion.

4 plots on my site came up last year. 2 had been sprayed with a systemic weed killer
to get rid of Marestail. The other two weren't because they were occupied at the time.

I took one of the non-sprayed plots.

Now, the old marestail is poking it's little head up on my plot but I have been digging and hoeing and there are no wild re-growths. For sure I have to keep on top of it. But at the moment I am only there once a week. I have it under control.

The adjacent plots that were sprayed (and believe me, they were vapourised when I
saw the plots) have re-growth already. And because I don't belive that the new tenants are passionate, the re-growth is savage. Full on plants all over the plots already.

The lesson for me is that I picked the right plot. i.e. I wanted one that I could grow immediately without worrying about the chemicals.

There seems to be no point spraying a plot unless it will be loved and looked after because the marestail will come back.

Dig, hoe, then keep doing it. Marestail isn't that bad on a veg plot.

I'm loving my new plot.  

Chris

[boogaloo]

Other than being a PITA do they actually do any damage? I've got what I've recently discovered is marestail in my garden. It's frustrating, but I just have to keep plucking the pesky things ever few days. Is that horrible beast swelling under my garden and about to engulf me?

Tempted to nuke the stuff, but the weedkiller for it looks to be about £40 a bottle and I just can't afford it.

Also a bit worried that it might affect the other more delicate plants that I have around the marestail.

[DD.]

Dig, hoe, then keep doing it. Marestail isn't that bad on a veg plot.

I do believe that's what was being conveyed on this recent thread:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=93499.0

[Christo]

Dig, hoe, then keep doing it. Marestail isn't that bad on a veg plot.

I do believe that's what was being conveyed on this recent thread:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=93499.0

Indeed it was DD. No harm in sharing a positive experience though eh? 

[grendel]

when I see it, it gets hoed or pulled.
no big fuss, doesnt seem to affect the crops much.
Grendel

[morbidia]

Our plot was " treated" to get rid pf marestail, I don't know what they used though,we took it over a couple of weeks ago and have been steadily digging the marestail up, when I went to the plot on Friday I found new shoots so I think its a waste of time treating it and I am just going to keep at it with the spade Every one I have asked seems to think it doesn't interfere too much so I feel a bit more reassured about it now

[Riverbecameroad]

ive got a bit of marestail  … ive covered it over with a folded tarp .. will denying it the sun kill it ?
or would i be best digging it up ?
im busy sifting earth into my new raised bed …  so have card boarded and covered the rest of the allotment to keep a lid on the wild weed growth   

[morbidia]

Hmmm I'm not sure, the bit of the plot we are working on now was covered and although its not too bad if you scratch the surface there is loads of it underneath, having said that there was no fresh growth so perhaps it was kept in check by covering, I have still had to dig out some rather large peices though but I have accepted that I am just not going to get it all and will just have to be handy with the hoe