I have a whole bunch in my yard which we often cut and bring indoors. Grows like crazy outside in full shade. I can't imagine killing this stuff - we put it in a vase and it sprouts like crazy (medium to no sun at all). Our horsetail even sprouts from ripped out shoots laying on the ground waiting to be thrown out!
Just my two bits..

by "smooth" horsetail, do you mean that it doesn't sprout horizontally at the joints? I used to love the clean, vertical look of horsetail. Then, I got a batch that made these little branches out from the joints, and I couldn't get any that didn't do it any more, after that.

Equisetum hyemale will grow indoors in very moist soil with excellent light...a sunny window is ideal. Same with Cyperus. These plants are both hardy outside here but I love them inside too. Sitting the pots in deep saucers kept filled with water is easiest way to insure they stay moist and you'll notice they really "drink" a lot. josh

I have a very specialized question(s) about growing horsetail.

What I have is a pot that is about 1 foot across and maybe 15 inches deep.

This pot was a flea market find and the saucer at the bottom is connected. Because it doesn't drain good I figured to put some horsetail in it, a plant I've always lusted after.

Now the question part---the overflow/drainage from the pot makes a really goopy dark residue on my tiny apt. balcony.

To keep that from happening I've set the entire kit and kaboodle into a large pot that does NOT have any drainage.

Because I have great difficulty (read almost impossible) in lifting anything, in order to dump out the larger container, the horsetail (in it's ceramic pot) will probably be sitting in water most of the time.

Will this harm the horsetail?

Sorry for the *essay*.

I'm reposting this so I can get any replies notified.

I have a very specialized question(s) about growing horsetail.
What I have is a pot that is about 1 foot across and maybe 15 inches deep.

This pot was a flea market find and the saucer at the bottom is connected. Because it doesn't drain good I figured to put some horsetail in it, a plant I've always lusted after.

Now the question part---the overflow/drainage from the pot makes a really goopy dark residue on my tiny apt. balcony.

To keep that from happening I've set the entire kit and kaboodle into a large pot that does NOT have any drainage.

Because I have great difficulty (read almost impossible) in lifting anything, in order to dump out the larger container, the horsetail (in it's ceramic pot) will probably be sitting in water most of the time.

Will this harm the horsetail?

Sorry for the *essay*.

Cave, I'd think the Horsetail would do fine.

In order to get the replies to a post emailed to you, you must be the original poster. In other words, you must use the "Post a Message" Forum page, rather than the "post a follow-up" to someone else's post. josh

Cave, I meant to say you must click on the "Post a Message" at the top of the Bog Forum page, thus starting a new thread, in order to have email responses sent to you. Hope this is clear...josh

Josh,

Thanks for your reply. I'll start over on another post.

You say the horsetail should do fine; so sitting in water won't be detrimental?

Cave, I'm fairly certain your Equisetum will do fine if not under more than 6 inches of water (over its soil). I checked the Lilypons site (a venerable old watergardening firm) to be sure and they say 6 inches.

If your big pot is too deep maybe get a bag or two of aquarium gravel, dump it in around small pot, then wiggle small pot enough so that gravel will be underneath. Or use a sturdy stick to lever small pot up on one side then the other so gravel will hopefully level out. I can empathize with no lifting...smile. josh

PS Tip the Pizza guy a little extra to help out...most are anxious for gas money LOL. Shouldn't take but a few minutes. josh

Here is a link that might be useful: Lilypons

Do you know what kind of horsetail does it have the Subgenus of Equisetum or Subgenus of Hippochaete of the horsetail family.

was throwing away an expired vase of flowers and noticed the horsetail cuttings from the arrangement were rooted! I think Ill put them back in a vase of water and see what happens.....

I grow horsetail, E. hyemale - as well as giganteum. Both stay outdoors; one in-ground, one above-ground in a large container. I enjoy these plants immensely. The color, pattern, and growth habit is quite attractive and useful when staging an area of the yard. I use them in my fern beds, since I don't have a bog proper.

Josh

I am moving from NY to OH in February and I am planning to dig up a few of my garden favs, before the freeze, like my horsetail and my iron cross clover, to winter inside till after the move and replant them in spring. I hope they do well. From everyone's experience here, I think I have a shot!!

A friend gave me a couple pots of this plant because I liked the way it looked. But they warned me how invasive they can be, I am wanting to put them along the back of my fence(not near any flower beds). Is there a preferred way to plant them so they won't go to crazy? I only want them to come 3-4 deep from the fence. The length width wise doesn't bother me but I have read they sprout from underground and I don't want it taking over my grass 8ft from the fence or something like that.