Strange looking weeds

[Nickiontheallotment]

Hi all,
Have just got back from the allotment and I seem to have a lot if strange looking weeds popping up round the edges of my plot. I forgot to take a photo but I will tomorrow. If looks a bit like a closed Christmas tree crossed with an asparagus it's about 4 inches high ( it's def not asparagus !) does any one know what this might be ???


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[veggiechicken]

Mares tail!

I wus wrong - Should have said its Horsetail
I have re-named it Nags tail as I know I'll give it the wrong name next time as well

[Nickiontheallotment]

Yes googled it. ThAts what it is !!



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[Nickiontheallotment]

It sounds horrific !!! Oh my goodness !!


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[alifrew]

They are horrible! Somehow they've made it into one of my raised beds this year! I'll be pulling them out forever! You have my sympathies....


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[veggiechicken]

Sorry to have been the bearer of bad news Just keep pulling/digging it up everytime you spot it. You're unlikely to get the better of it but you can get used to it and accept it (eventually)

[Nickiontheallotment]

Am just searching on line for weed treatments.


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[Alison]

On a plus point it roots really deep so doesn't compete with your plants and although pretty much impossible to irradiate I don't actually find it that much of an issue.


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[Alison]

Am just searching on line for weed treatments.


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Just pull it out whenever you see it and leave it at that.


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[andy_j]

When i got took over the garden at work 14 years ago, there was a patch of garden that was infested with the stuff. I set about a programme of intense spraying with 10 x strength roundup. It took 5 years but eventually it went.

Then last week, in the same spot as before, there were 2 stems of the stuff. AAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH

[RaptorUK]

Hi all,
Have just got back from the allotment and I seem to have a lot if strange looking weeds popping up round the edges of my plot. I forgot to take a photo but I will tomorrow. If looks a bit like a closed Christmas tree crossed with an asparagus

It's Horsetail . . . plenty of info about, usual weedkillers won't touch it so pull it up every opportunity you get . . . "don't let it see a Sunday"

Horsetail / Royal Horticultural Society

Equisetum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[kathycam]

Hi, I had this at my big allotment, which I had to give up when I moved. I only had the plot for a few months in the end. The horsetail was completely out of control and I could easily spend an afternoon just pulling it up. I started saving it to use as storage, as its full of silica it can be used to store things like apples. I'm afraid I didn't put that to the test as I moved before trying it out. I also put some in bottles of water and then used the waters as a feed for my tomatoes. It can also be used as a hair rinse.

[Knight of Albion]

"Strange looking weeds" ... Only horsetail. For a moment there I thought it might be something dodgy!

It's a fascinating plant. One of the great survivors of the Plant Kingdom.

I go along with the 'manual removing' recommendation. Eventually it'll exhaust itself and you'll gain the upper hand.

As for the weedkiller suggestion. For such a deep rooted plant you'd have use 'bunker busting' quantities and even then you might not kill it off.
And remember you are going to be growing food off that land ...

[Two_Sheds]

Yes googled it. ThAts what it is !!

No, it's not. It's horsetail: mares tail is an aquatic plant (although horsetail can grow with its feet in water too)

I know you were all waiting to rattle my cage

[veggiechicken]

No, it's not. It's horsetail: mares tail is an aquatic plant (although horsetail can grow with its feet in water too)

I know you were all waiting to rattle my cage

Yes I was !! I like living dangerously
Henceforth, I shall call it Nag's tail in the hope that I won't be wrong