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I'm afraid I think I have to tackle this with weedkiller as my attempts at pulling it aren't getting anywhere! Especially in places where I've put bark pieces over and the horsetail and stuff is still coming through 
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Rachel
Trying to tame the mad thing called a garden and getting there I think!
My Garden Mayhem...inspirational blog for me I hope! - updated 16/04/09 -
The only way to get rid of it is to move home. Not really but it is very difficult. The best thing for it is Glysophate but it will take 3-4 goes to really reduce it. Try buying it off ebay as you can get the full strength stuff with 360g/l in it rather than the 1/4 strength stuff that you get from the garden centres.
I have it on the back half of one allotment and have just hit it for the first time and will do the same again in a months time and a month after that. I will attempt to dig what I can out in the autumn and winter and then hopefully be in a position to dig out what grows back next spring. Rest assured covering it with plastic will not get rid of it it as it is one of those weeds that requires the "nuclear option" -
Thanks, will go hunting for that! I would rather do it once a month for 4 months than try and weed it out and fail!
I presume that will also work on the brambles?Rachel
Trying to tame the mad thing called a garden and getting there I think!
My Garden Mayhem...inspirational blog for me I hope! - updated 16/04/09Comment
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Hello Gryfon, the mares tails really are a nightmare and I would go with Piglets suggestion. The brambles are not too bad and you can get rid of them. The best way is to cut them down to ground level then spray the new growth with weedkiller. They give in quite easily.
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.Comment
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Bang on Alice, once you have removed the huge amount of thorny stuff their roots are generally quite tame to dig out and if they reshoot blast them and thats generally their number up.Comment
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I read in Gardeners World (I think it was) that if you spray in the autumn when the stems of mares tail are opened out that the plant takes the glyphosate down to its root system and stores it there over winter. Then when the plant starts to regrow in the new year the glyphosate kicks in and kills it. It would be worth trying on a test area to see if it works.[Comment
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Thanks for that Lesley. Will give it a go. Tried everything with them but only manage to keep them under control, never get rid of them. Not sure it's possible to eradicate them completely.
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.Comment
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I very much doubt that it is possible to be clear of mares tail. It will just grow again from another allotment plot. I just nick the mares tail off at ground level when I see them.[Comment
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Ah good plan!
We've dug up some of the bramble roots and nearly broke the fork! Some of the roots are an inch across!Rachel
Trying to tame the mad thing called a garden and getting there I think!
My Garden Mayhem...inspirational blog for me I hope! - updated 16/04/09Comment
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Good luck with the Brambles Gryron, I started clearing mine in feb and did break 2 forks! They are gone now and replaced by mare's tail and some sticky plant that get's everywhere.
p.s. the brambles have not come back.Comment
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I have sprayed the mares tail that infests the bottom third of one plot (between the tatties) and it has knocked about 60 % of it dead. There is a little new growth and plenty that I missed because of the spuds but I have found it effective and think the kill rate would have been nearer 80% if there were no crops.
It will be sprayed twice in the autumn when the tatties come out with each spraying being 1 week apart
I originally bought my glysophate off ebay where you can buy the real stuff which is 4x stronger than that you get from the garden centres but have bought some more of the same strength from a French supermarket (intermarche) for 12 euros a litre. Cheap and it works.
I only use it on mares tail and bindweed as I just cannot keep on top of them otherwise, other weeds get hoed off or hand weeded.Comment
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You can try treading on it to bruise the leaves a bit as well. If I remember right it has a high silica content & most weedkillers just run off it. you could try using some rubber gloves & painting it on to the plant neat that'll giv it a shock! Improving the drainage is supposed to help as well, luckily I don't suffer with Mares tail but bindweed is a real pain & has suddenly started to popup all over the placeLast edited by nick the grief; 11-07-2006, 10:18 PM.ntg
Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic==================================================Comment
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12 Euros a litre ! Can feel a trip to Intermarche coming on
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.Comment
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Will they believe you Alice when you say "But honest officer it's weekiller not wine & its all for my own consuption, I've got mare's tail"
ntg Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic==================================================Comment
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Alternatively... I paid for my front garden to be cleared (it's not very big but was heavily covered in mare's tail and bindweed since I'd ignored it for 2 years due to the paving slabs and concrete chunks hiding randomly just under the surface. Ouch!) and now I'm weeding out whatever grows up again whenever I can.
Hopefully I can keep the mare's tail in check that way. However, I'd like to put down grass seed and don't want to be dealing with mare's tail growing through. Would turf work better?You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata
blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/Comment
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