Horsetailis a common and nuisance weed that can quickly, almost completely dominate our flower beds and lawns. We should not ignore the presence of even one specimen of the field horsetail growing in our garden.Fighting horsetailis not easy, so it's worth knowing the most effectiveways to combat horsetailthat will help us deal with this recurring problem. Seehow to fight a field crateso that it never appears in your garden again!
How to fight horsetail in the garden?
How to fight the field horsetail - agrotechnical methods
The field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) inhabits various habitats, but it feels best in the partial shade of shrubs and tall perennials.Fighting horsetail in the gardenis very difficult and requires a lot of time because it has the ability to regenerate quickly from rhizome fragments remaining in the ground.
The most effective and labor-intensive methodmethod of fighting horsetailis the systematic removal of shoots and rhizomes throughout the season.
In spring (April), horsetail produces spore shoots. They have the form of light brown or reddish single, naked, unbranched shoots, growing up to 10-30 cm. They are finished at the top with zarodnionośnym spike. If you want tofight horsetail in the gardenthese shoots must be removed immediately, before they have time to spread the spores.
Note!Pulled horsetail spore shoots must not be thrown into the composter, as they can mature and spread the spores, which, together with the compost, will return to the soil.
Horsetail rhizomes reach deep into the ground (up to 1.5 m). It is often impossible to completely remove them along with the above-ground part of the plant. Thereforeto combat the field horsetailplaces where it occurs should be digged deeply with a pitchfork (two spades deep), and while digging, remove the fragments of roots and rhizomes from the soil clods.
Digging to combat horsetailmust be performed at least twice. Digging deep into the soil causes pieces of horsetail rhizomes that we have not been able to remove to such a depth that the regrowth shoots will not have the strength to break through to the surface.
Good to know!The excavated horsetail rhizomes can be composted. To do this, put them in the sun to dry or put them in a bucket, pour water over them and let them rot. After about 2 weeks, when the rhizomes lose their ability to regenerate, we can put them on the compost.
You can also prepare natural plant protection products - extracts, decoctions and liquid manure - from the horsetail herb (only from barren shoots).
The field horsetail prefers waterlogged and acidic environments. Thereforein order to fight horsetail in the gardenthe ground should be adjusted to create unfavorable conditions for the horsetail. Lim the acidic soils in autumn, before planting the plants. We repeat liming in the spring of the next year. Wet soils, e.g. in depressions, are covered with a layer of earth and sand.
Remember!Horsetail rhizomes lie deep underground, and the fungi that inhabit the rhizomes and live in symbiosis with them additionally acidify the immediate surroundings of the roots. Therefore, the effect of soil liming may only be visible after several years.Fight horsetail on lawns by frequent mowing and liming.
Deep digging of the soil is also not possible in the case of flower beds with perennials, the vicinity of ornamental trees and shrubs or on a rockery. Likewise, it is not always possible to make soil liming, as not all plants can tolerate an elevated soil pH.In these cases, in order tofight horsetail in the garden , use bedding. We lay dark agrotextile around the trees and shrubs, which effectively inhibits the growth of weeds, including horsetail, by limiting the access of light. Ornamental plants can be mulched with a layer of limestone debris, which is then covered with a layer of garden bark. Limestone rubble can also be used to build a rockery.
How to fight horsetail in the garden?
How to fight horsetail - chemical methods
Mechanicalmethods of fighting horsetailare time-consuming and require a lot of physical effort. If we do not have free time or our he alth does not allow us to make such an effort, we can reach for chemical herbicides.
Preparations to combat horsetail on lawns are : Chwastox Trio 540 SL and Mniszek 540 SL.These are measures with a similar effect. Taken up by the leaves, they cause deformation, inhibition of growth and dieback of the horsetail. We use them from spring to autumn. The recommended doses are:
- 4 ml in 1 liter of water for 20 m²
- 20 ml in 5 liters of water for 100 m²
- 100 ml in 25 liters of water for 500 m²
Chemical preparations can be used, for example, on the entire lawn or only in the place where the horsetail grows. We do not use the above-mentioned agents at temperatures below 10 ° C and above 25 ° C.
Note!Unfortunately, herbicides for weed control on lawns are not 100% effective against field horsetail, which can grow back despite being sprayed. The treatment must be repeated, but not earlier than 8 weeks after the first spraying.
If we want to clean the ground of horsetail before setting up a crop or sowing plants, we canuse a total herbicideto combat horsetail, i.e. one that destroys all plants.In such a case, Sprinter 350 SL will be an effective preparation for fighting horsetail. In order to effectively combat horsetail with this agent, the preparation should be used in a dose of 70-80 ml dissolved in 3 liters of water per 100m² of sprayed area. Spraying is performed once.When deciding to use this agent, however, we must remember that it contains glyphosate - a substance that raises a lot of controversy, suspicious, among others. o carcinogenic effect.
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MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
