Problem weed!
NicP
Posts: 2
Hello,
I have a weed growing in various locations throughout my garden which I cannot seem to get rid of. I beleive this is Mare's Tail (please see image).
Does anyone have any advise for how I can kill this weed?
It seems to spread my the week! I have it in my drive, beds and lawn!
Many thanks for any help you can give me ....
0
Posts
Quite right, poor you, it is mares tail.
Mares tail indeed, and no, it will not go away. This plant has been around since the age of the dinosaurs, they grazed upon it, its roots are found several meters down in mines. There are new weedkillers that claim to kill it, you can try one if you want to use lethal chemicals. You can keep cutting its head off, not even mare tail likes that - or you can learn to live with it as many people do. It will die down in the winter, giving you a time of hope that it has gone, it hasn't, and will pop up again come spring. It is an incredibly successful plant. Keep pulling it up where you can, cut it down as much as possible, dig the ground where it is - the black roots that look like thin liquorice strings are very distinctive, get out every bit as the tiniest bit left in the ground will grow a new plant. Try the new weedkillers if you like, I shall wait with interest to see if there is new growth next year or not where they have been used.
I apreciat your problem, a previous owner planted mint which I have managed to keepunder control till this year, now it has taken over a large area. I spent the morning trying to dig up massive root clumps.
If I get rid of as much as I can see and am going to gravel some of the area, would a dose of bleach or weed killer be a good idea? How close to existing plants can i get and how long should the sol be bare before planting? Next spring?
Suggestions would be helpful
Regards Anne
Thanks for the replies. I found a product which claims to kill Mare's Tail called Kurtail.
Has anyone had any experience usng this? I found this at www.progreen.co.uk
Hi NicP - if you crush the plant to break it up a bit first you can spray with roundup? You need to cruch it as it has a tough waxy outer skin but the easiest is to just pull it up wherever you see it - I get loads too! Good luck!
Tread on it and spray with Resolva 24h, it'll be dead in a few days. Keep doing that wherever you see it and eventually you'll have it under control although maybe not completely eradicated.
Ann
( MINT PROBLEM )
If you intend to gravel it ' just cut the mint down to the ground,
lay weed supressing membrane over the area and lay gravel.
the mint will die without light!!