It is impossible to get rid of horsetail without herbicides. Treatments of the top layer of soil before sowing vegetables and grains do not give a guaranteed result. The weed is popularly called horsetail because of its external similarity. It will cover the entire garden in one season if no measures are taken. Weed control is difficult.
Description of the weed
Grows in the forest, forest-steppe zone of North America, Eurasia (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus).Horsetail (common) loves acidic, moist soils. It reproduces vegetatively and by spores. The plant has 2 types of stems:
- pistils are spore-bearing shoots of a reddish color up to 25 cm high;
- barren - green, segmented up to 50 cm high.
There are no flowers on horsetail. Spores mature in spikelets (sporangia), which form at the tops of fruiting (spore-bearing) stems. This happens early in the spring. The spores are carried by the wind and germinate to form small green stems called gametophytes. They have sperm and an egg.
A new plant begins to develop after fertilization. The weed forms a creeping, brownish-black rhizome, on which spherical black nodules are formed. Having fallen off, they begin to develop. New weeds form from them.
Horsetail has hard, rough stems. They are covered with branches and underdeveloped leaves. The powerful rhizome of the ponytail goes into the soil to a depth of 0.6-1 m. The rhizome shoots spread, forming new barren stems. Over the course of a season, the plant covers a large area.
Why is horsetail dangerous?
This is an invasive weed. During the growing season, it quickly grows a large above-ground part. Its mass suppresses the vital activity of other plants. Horsetail can crush crops of wheat, corn, soybeans, and vegetables growing in the garden. Horsetail dehydrates and depletes the soil.
It is extremely difficult to destroy the weed. It quickly spreads, covering vast areas, making the soil infertile. In fields and gardens infected with horsetail, the yield is low. Without the use of strong chemicals, it is impossible to clear an area of harmful weeds.
Experts assessed the threshold of harmfulness of the weed. The yield will decrease significantly if 2 bushes of horsetail grow per 1 m² of field or garden during the season. To prevent this, experienced gardeners begin fighting the weed in early spring. Control methods are chosen taking into account the biological characteristics of the plant. They approach the problem in a comprehensive manner.
Herbicides for pest control
Not all chemicals kill horsetail. Tornado and Roundup are powerless against ponytail. Root shoot weed can be destroyed with other strong drugs of selective and continuous action.
"Stomp"
The mechanism of action on plants is selective. The active substance of the drug does not affect the growth and development of vegetable crops, it only destroys weeds. In hot weather, Stomp loses effectiveness. It does not reach the roots of horsetail.
"Zenkor"
High air temperatures reduce the effect of using the Zenkor herbicide. It is applied before or immediately after germination. The product penetrates deep into the roots, does not harm cultivated plants, and is not dangerous for domestic animals and humans.
"Ground"
This is a full action product. It's inexpensive. It is used before or after harvesting vegetables and berries. Vegetable and garden crops must be protected from herbicide drops. They suffer from the drug “Ground” no less than weeds.
The disadvantage of the herbicide is that it is dangerous for insects (bees).
"Glyphos"
Continuous action drug, hazard class IV. Its use does not harm bees or other beneficial insects. The weed is treated with a solution in the afternoon. Protect the skin of your hands with rubber gloves.
According to farmers, the active ingredient of the herbicide (glyphosphate) does not completely destroy the weed.Horsetail appears again in the spring on a field that was treated three times in the previous season. The Glyphos solution is applied to the surface of the stems and leaves. The active substance reaches the roots with plant juices.
"Agrokiller"
It acts selectively, only on weeds. Treatment of the area against horsetail is carried out before planting cultivated plants. “Agrokiller” penetrates tissues and spreads to roots and stems. After 2 weeks, the weeds die. The area is planted with vegetables, flowers, and garden plants. In the garden, in the vegetable garden, “Agrokiller” is used once. With repeated use, the herbicide deteriorates the quality of the soil.
"Lontrel-300"
The concentrated weed killer has a low consumption. A 1 liter bottle is enough to treat an area of 3 hectares. Lontrell-300 is used once. It is non-toxic and selectively destroys plants. The herbicide quickly penetrates the root system of horsetail and destroys it.
"Prima"
The effectiveness of the herbicide is affected by air temperature. It decreases during frosts. You need to wait 2 weeks for the results of the treatment. "Prima" penetrates quickly into the tissue of the horse's tail. The weed stops growing. Precipitation does not affect the result. The herbicide is not dangerous for insects and soil.
Other ways to control the plant
Horsetail enters the garden in different ways. Spores are carried by the wind, carried by insects and birds. A weed can creep in from a neighboring area, its roots and stems can get into the garden with soil. They destroy it with chemicals and other methods. The mechanical method is the most common and accessible. It is aimed at weakening an aggressive plant and comes down to simple operations with the soil:
- loosening;
- weeding;
- digging.
Biological methods
Horsetail does not grow near cruciferous crops. The reason is the substances that their root system secretes. Correct crop rotation makes it easier to control horsetail in the garden and field. Areas where aggressive weeds have appeared are sown with vegetable crops the following spring:
- daikon;
- radish;
- mustard;
- arugula;
- rape.
Reducing soil acidity
The pH value characterizes the acidity of garden soil. It is considered acidic if the pH is less than 7. In an acidic environment, horsetail multiplies intensively. Soil deoxidation is a method of weed control. Reduce acidity by adding:
- ash;
- dolomite flour;
- lime.
It is practical to add dolomite flour to the soil; it normalizes acidity and improves structure. Any time of application - spring, autumn. Approximate consumption:
- 250 g/m² if the soil is slightly acidic;
- 700 g/m² if the soil is highly acidic.
Prevention
Imported soil is dangerous. It may contain spores, fragments of rhizomes and tubers. The imported soil must be sifted. Weeds that have entered the lawn, vegetable garden, or garden must be pulled out.
Weeding depletes horsetail and prevents the accumulation of nutrients in the root tubers.
Soil liming remains the best means of prevention. Lime is applied once every 3 years in a volume of 0.5-2 kg/m². The event is planned for the fall. In spring and summer, it can harm the root system of plants.
In spring and summer, grass growing in the garden and on garden paths needs to be mowed. Horsetail will not be able to reproduce by spores if it is mowed every 2 weeks. In rainy weather, weed more often, because in conditions of high humidity weeds grow many times faster, taking over large areas.
