Horsetail
With deep, extensive rhizomes, Horsetail can spread rapidly through gardens, roadsides, and development sites.
Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense) is a persistent and invasive weed that can quickly take over gardens, lawns, and other landscapes. Known for its unique, reed-like appearance and rapid growth, this plant is often difficult to control once it establishes itself. Horsetail is a fern-like plant with distinctive jointed stems that can resemble small bamboo. It typically grows in damp, poorly-drained soils, but can spread in a variety of environments, including yards, fields, and roadsides.
Why Horsetail is a Problem
- Persistent Regrowth: Horsetail’s deep rhizome system makes it extremely difficult to eradicate, as even small fragments can regrow.
- Rapid Spread: It quickly colonises gardens, fields, and construction sites, outcompeting other vegetation.
- Structural Damage: Its shoots can penetrate paving, tarmac, and hard landscaping, causing costly damage.
- Resilient Nature: Horsetail is resistant to many common herbicides, making control challenging without specialist treatment.
Treatment & Control Methods
Herbicide Treatment
- Specialist herbicides are required, as Horsetail is naturally resistant to many standard products.
- Best results are achieved when the plant is actively growing, allowing chemicals to penetrate the waxy stems.
- Multiple applications over successive growing seasons are usually necessary for effective control.
Removal & Disposal
- Excavation can remove Horsetail, but care must be taken to capture all rhizome fragments to prevent regrowth.
- Removed soil and plant material must be treated as controlled waste and disposed of at a licensed facility.
- On construction sites, root barriers may be used to prevent Horsetail spreading into new areas.
Before quoting a treatment or removal and disposal cost we would need to conduct a site survey. Landtech (UK) Limited offer effective solutions for managing Horsetail. Our experienced team offers a range either physical removal, chemical treatments, and strategic monitoring to prevent the spread of this invasive species.
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