For many gardenersfield horsetailis primarily a common and difficult to control perennial weed. But what some curse and fight back is a blessing for others. Horsetail shoots are a valuable herbal raw material.Horsetail is also used in ecological gardening , because we can prepare preparations from it to combat plant diseases and pests.
Horsetail is a valuable herbal raw material, has numerous healing properties
Field horsetail - properties, healing effects
Horsetailis a perennial plant that grows up to 40 cm in height. It produces two types of shoots - sporangial shoots and sterile shoots. The ability to distinguish them is very important, becausethe herbal raw material is only sterile shoots .
How to distinguish horsetail stock shoots from sporangial shoots?
Spore-bearing shoots of the horsetailare succulent, upright and unbranched, light brown or reddish in color. At the top of each such shoot there is one brown, blunt sporified spike 1.5-3 cm long. In spring, from March to May, spores are formed in the ears, and when they are ripe, the ears die.
The barren shoots of the horsetailare green and whorled, rough and ribbed , covered with leaves, and no sporangia spikes on them. They resemble densely branched Christmas trees. They develop at the end of spring, after the spore shoots have dried, and remain on the plant until autumn. How and when to collect field horsetail?
Horsetail barren shoots can be harvestedthroughout the summer, but the most valuable herbal raw material are those collected from mid-July to the end of August. This is because they contain the highest concentration of silicic acid, responsible for the healing properties of horsetail. It is also worth knowing that due to the high content of silica, the sprouts of the horsetail creak when rubbed and the name of this plant derives from this sound. Horsetail barren shoots are cut without the lower brown part, at a height of 10-15 cm. The collected shoots should be dried covered so that they do not lose their green color.
Attention!When collecting field horsetail, do not confuse it with mud horsetail, which is poisonous. The marsh horsetail produces barren shoots with sporangial shoots on top of them.
Healing effects of horsetail
Horsetail herbcontains many mineral s alts, including valuable silica, organic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, saponins, phytosterols and vitamin B1.It is to these substances that we owe thehe alth properties of horsetail , which is used in the treatment of urinary tract diseases (the silica contained in horsetail prevents the formation of stones in the urinary system) and atherosclerosis. It also uses diuretic and anti-inflammatoryproperties of horsetailHorsetail herb is sometimes used for bathing in root and rheumatic pains.Horsetail infusionis used to wash tired, aging and difficult-to-care skin, it has skin firming properties.Horsetail decoctionis used to prepare hair rinses.
Horsetail - sporangia shoots (left) and barren shoots (right).
As herbal raw material we collect only horsetail sterile shoots
The use of horsetail in gardening
Horsetail herb is also used in horticultureas a component of preparations against plant diseases and pests.
One of the most commonly used preparations ishorsetail fermenting manureTo prepare it, mix 1 kg of fresh horsetail herb (or 200 grams of dried herb) with 10 liters of water and leave it on 4-5 days for fermentation. Before applying to plants, the horsetail fermenting slurry should be very strongly diluted with water (1:50 ratio). The preparation prepared in this way can be used for spraying plants on clear days, preferably in the morning. It fights pests such as aphids, spider mites, cupheads, scale insects.
In the event of aphids, an intervention can also be used undilutedhorsetail extractTo prepare it, just like in the case of liquid manure, take 1 kg of fresh horsetail herb or 200 g of dried herb and pour 10 liters of water but we set aside only for 12 hours. Spray the plants attacked by aphids with the prepared liquid.
Both fermenting slurry and horsetail extract are very often recommended home remedies for aphids and other plant pests.But the field horsetail can also help fight fungal diseases in plants. Here you will find usefulhorsetail manureWe prepare it in the same way as fermenting manure, but after pouring water over the herb, let it stand for one or two weeks, waiting for fermentation to end. A sign that the slurry is ready, i.e. fully fermented, will be the disappearance of foam generated during fermentation. Horsetail manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 4 is used for watering plants (water directly onto the soil under the plants). It can be used several times during the growing season. It generally strengthens plants and heals the soil. In a dilution of 1: 5, horsetail manure can be sprayed on plants and the soil around them against soil fungi and powdery mildew. To be effective, spraying should be repeated every 3 days for a period of at least 3 weeks. For spraying, choose sunny days, preferably in the morning.
An even wider use in combating plant fungal diseases hashorsetail decoction For this purpose, pour 1 kg of fresh herb or 200 g of dried herb with 10 liters of water and leave it aside until the next day (for 24 hours). Then cook the whole thing and keep it on low heat for 30 minutes. After cooling down, strain and dilute with water in a ratio of 1: 3 (note - some guides recommend dilution 1: 4). The preparation prepared in this way is sprayed against such diseases as: gray mold, powdery and downy mildew, rusts, apple scab, peach leaf curl. As with horsetail slurry, it must be repeated every 3 days for at least 3 weeks to be fully effective.
