Mares Tail

[Thelma Sanders]

The product details don't say that it is safe to use on arable land, so I'd really be worried about growing crops where it had been sprayed.

[binley100]

We have marestail on our plot ........at first OH used to get stressed trying to dig it out , now we just live with it. Pull it out like any other weed , it'll never go but it does get weaker. There's no way I will be spraying don't care how safe people say it is.

[DannyRam]

My brother-in-law reckons he is the only one to have got rid of his mares tail in the area. How did he do it - by changing allotments!!

[Vince G]

Interesting Ramsey. I've asked my ecotoxicologist pal for his opinion on the active ingresients and will post once he replies.

Here's the science on Broadshot:

"I am very familiar with one of the active substances (2,4-D) which is a commonly used herbicide and the other two substances are there to provide grass control as 2,4-D is less effective at controlling grasses. Basically, it’s very effective stuff and will give you good knockdown results but if you wanted to help with weed control for next spring I would suggest an autumn application of a herbicide containing something like oxyluorfen or another pre-emergence herbicide on your spring beds followed by an early spring application of glyphosate or something like your broadshot herbicide."