While it ’s not insufferable , it ’s certainly difficult to get free of horsetail plant ( Equisetum hyemaleandEquisetum arvense)in your garden . Here , we ’ll sharetwo techniquesyou can attempt to help you deal with this lively plant .

Gardeners who have experience with horsetails empathize how this ancient industrial plant has live for close to 350 million years .

Today , horsetail , also have a go at it as ‘ scrub rush ’ , is grown as a perennial inUSDA zone 3 through 11 . It is a fast - growing plant that can reach up to 4 feet tall and 6 feet panoptic .

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HorsetailEquisetum arvenseorEquisetum hyemalecan office as :

Horsetail is a honest survivor . Drastic measures are postulate to wipe out it if it accept over your garden or field of operations . With that in idea , we will cross the scrub rush from both position .

What is the Plant Horsetail Good For?

There are over 25 species of horsetail plant . This includes annual and perennial type . Some metal money of scouring rush have a perpendicular , green goddess - like form that resemble horse tails ( hence the name ) . Other metal money are fern - mold or lover - shaped .

When it comes to horsetail reeds , Equisetum hyemaleandEquisetum arvenseare the species you see grown in landscape painting . These marvelous , skunk - corresponding reeds have brilliant gullible , jointed bamboo - like stems .

A horsetail reed has an exotic , upright stem that may seem tropic . HorsetailEquisetum arvensecan liven up your garden . Its aesthetic appeal is not lose in the home landscape painting as construe below .

Horsetail rush, pruned to hedge height

The beautiful prow make a spectacular command when planted en masse . specially near a pond or piddle lineament . They can also be used as a ground cover or vegetative screen .

The plant grow near loaded sites , bog gardens , bush and wetlands throughout the world although they do n’t have to be restrain to wetlands and ponds . They can be used on entryways in container or great deal arranged to mime a border or short fence .

In between the sens of scouring rush , ornamental grass or motley grass can be grow to show contrast and create an esthetic effect . The grain , sizes , and cast can blend in very well if the landscape is maintained .

Horsetail rush, pruned to hedge height

To restrict its uncanny power to spread everywhere , you’re able to set it in a large container domiciliate in a concrete patio . This takes away the plant ’s power to spread into the rest of your garden whilst keep up a modern look .

How Do You Get Rid of Horsetail in My Garden?

All word form of horsetail plant grow best in poor , sandy , or gravelly dirt . Some species want moisture and water supply while others are quite patient of of drought .

Horsetail is often categorized as a weed because of how sharply it spreads . You need to know which horsetail species to have in your garden :

Horsetail is especially unwelcome in livestock grass . This is because they are toxic to sheep and cattle if they feed the stems .

horsetail plant with text overlay how to grow or get rid of horsetail plant

Horsetail plants spread through both spores and underground rootstock . They have a wide - spread root organisation . This can be quite plaguy because even after you snub down the scouring rush , it easily grows back .

If you want to get free of horsetail , prepare for battle and try out one of the following methods .

Organic Method

Your only constitutive method of control is tocutall the stems back to ground level . In former spring , look for the spore - bearing angry walk and cut them using gardening shear . Dispose of them in a plastic bag immediately once you ’re done .

As you do so you’re able to ameliorate the soil to make it drier , rich , and more alkaline .

Horsetail is quite lively and it may take several seasons to eradicate all the stem this way . Worry not , you still have another pick .

Systemic Herbicide

you could removeEquisetum arvenseor other plebeian horsetail varieties by using asystemic herbicide .

Spray the horsetailEquisetumwith a weed killer containingtriclopyr , specifically designed to treat horsetail plant .

utilize the herbicide on a windless mean solar day to avoid purport and herbicide injury to other plant life in your garden . Make certain to keep abreast the package directions cautiously .

startle improving the soil once the horsetail ( Equisetum ) has died back . To do so , meliorate the ground withmanure or compostto better its fertility , texture , and drainage . you’re able to also institute the area with dope or perennials .

Horsetail prefer sandlike soil and poor uprise condition and may not farm in fertile soil . One option is to lay down landscaping fabric and mulch your garden . Do this onlyafteryou have exonerate your garden of all the spore - bearing stubble .

How Do You Take Care of a Horsetail Plant?

The challenge in dealing with horsetails is in containing them . check that to thin the stems out p.a. to check the speedy andinvasivespread of horsetail stem .

If you want to grow horsetail put plastic barriers in the soil or plant them in a deep pot . you’re able to then sink the weed in the ground .

Horsetail is not a fussy plant . When it come to fertilizer it is often unnecessary . They do not need fertile or rich soil . If your horsetail plant is struggling , you could useslow - releaseplant intellectual nourishment to further its growth .

The plant produce unspoilt with eminent humidness and hot sun . You do n’t call for to worry about scouring boot in the wintertime , they can still farm hunky-dory with siccative melodic phrase and less loose . The obtrusive difference is that the dark green stems fade . This goes back to normal once the atmospheric condition changes .

To get the most out of your horsetail plant , do the chase :

If you have a rain garden and like horsetails go for it ! The plants are tolerant of wry conditions as well as wet ones . It can farm in boggy areas , on flow bank or in up to 4 inches of water .

What a gracious way to accentuate your garden ’s borders !

Besides field horsetail , you’re able to produce elephantine horsetail orvariegated horsetail .

Learn More About Horsetail and Gardening

Do n’t contain there , however , if you ’re a horticulture partisan . TheGardening Channelprovides all the knowledge you need to become an expert . take articles on various plant , fruits , and vegetable . Here are just some of the many articles that may interest you :

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