Mares Tail

Mare’s Tail (Equisetum arvense), also known as Horsetail, is a highly invasive, deep-rooted perennial weed that spreads quickly, forming a dense carpet of foliage that can overwhelm other perennial plants. It can be a huge frustration due to its invasive nature.

Appearance

Mare’s Tail (Horsetail, Equisetum Arvense) appears initially in Spring, with brown and green stems and a cone like tip at 10– 20cm in height. As the weed grows, its spores begin to open. By summer Mare’s Tail has green fir-tree like shoots (spores), growing up to 60cm tall.

Why is Mare’s Tail (Horsetail) such a problem?

Mare’s Tail can break through tiny gaps in patios and paving causing damage to hard surfaces. The creeping rhizomes of this pernicious plant can grow as deep as 7 foot below the surface, making them very difficult to remove by digging out. If they invade a planted border they can be even more difficult to eradicate without affecting the surrounding plants.

• • • • The individual spores break off easily and result in new plants growing.
      • Mare’s Tail has a tough waxy exterior coating, preventing most weed killers penetrating through to the core of the plant.
      • Harmful to livestock such as horses and cows, Mare’s Tail can cause serious harm if eaten.
      • Can cause damage to hard surfaces such as paths and driveways.

Removal

Many of the following methods have been tried to remove the infestation of Mare’s Tail (Horsetail):

• • Previous methods

    • Excavation. By excavating the area, Mare’s Tail can be removed successfully. However, when Mares Tail appears in paths, patios or flowerbeds, ,it is not the best option for removal.
    • Removal by hand.  Weeding the surface plant can reduce the appearance of Mare’s Tail initially but it does not destroy the rhizomes (root system) which continue to spread deep underground. A common problem when trying to remove Mare’s Tail by hand is that spores are easily detached from the plant, spreading the problem further.
    • Weed Killers – Most weed killers do not penetrate deep enough to destroy the plant. On the surface the weed may appear to be dead, yet the rhizomes (roots) are still alive.

Our Solution

With over 20 years of experience and the careful development of a specially formulated herbicide, Green Leaf have created a solution capable of penetrating and destroying the plant including the rhizomes.
Our herbicide treatment programme has been created to ensure total eradication of your Japanese knotweed, giving you complete confidence that it will no longer be a problem.

Contact us for a free quotation.