Horse tail - Ask Extension
I believe this is "horse tail", how can you treat it to get rid of it?
Knowledgebase
Horse tail #137008
Asked June 26, 2013, 2:04 PM EDT
I believe this is "horse tail", how can you treat it to get rid of it?
Alcona County Michigan
Expert Response
It would be helpful to see more of the plant. It could be horsetail. It has a very dry feel to it. This is an extremely primitive plant. It predates the monocots and dicots. That's why herbicides do not work when they are used. It grows in colonies and does not have seeds; it has spores. When it first comes out of the ground, it looks like a tiny asparagus spear. Thi should match wat you are seeing if it is horsetail.
Your ways of removing it are limited. You can pull it up and keep pulling as soon as any spear emerges from the soil. That means every several days. Or you can block the soil with cardboard or newspaper and cover that with mulch. You can hope it will die after a period of time with no light. This is a very difficult plant to eliminate. Good luck.
Your ways of removing it are limited. You can pull it up and keep pulling as soon as any spear emerges from the soil. That means every several days. Or you can block the soil with cardboard or newspaper and cover that with mulch. You can hope it will die after a period of time with no light. This is a very difficult plant to eliminate. Good luck.