I had it when I lived in Ottawa - horrible stuff. I lived there 4 years - it wasn't as bad the last year as it was the first year I lived there but I was constantly pulling it up. Small yard though, so hand weeding was easy then.

It must lay in wait forever because I've never seen it here, until this year growing along the side of a road. I mentioned it to an old timer and he said yep, in really wet years it rears its ugly head.

Sorry, I have no answers for you but I've got a ton of sympathy!

We have it here in Alaska. I always thought that spreaded by root, because when I am gentle and have loose soil, I can pull three or four plants attached to one root. Here is what the paper had to say about it (not too hopeful):
EQUISETUM

Also known as horsetail or "Boy Scout scouring brush," equisetum is back this spring, as always. Nothing I know of will kill the stuff, which is literally a throwback to prehistoric times. Don't spray it with Roundup or anything else. Pull them above ground, and they won't grow back this year. You may have to pull new plants, but it isn't hard work. After mid-July, they die back naturally. If you remove these from the garden, they won't produce spores for new plants there. Mulch when you are done.

It's a dinosaur all right. I know the paper said it would die back naturally, but he didn't mention it was lurking there to attack you later.

I currently have a 10,000 sq. ft. backyard which is just covered. I'm pulling and pulling and pulling and am happy if I just snap it at ground level. It really is difficult stuff.

Gloria

Ya, I have the dreaded horsetail all through my gardens as well. I put landscape fabric down in some of the isles of the one perennial bed and I lifted it the other day when weeding and the horsetail was large, green and growing flat under the landscape fabric. eeeerrrrrrrr!

Sierra

hahah, it's funny Sierra because it's true!

Its like once you pull some of it out it sends a message for more to sprout! I have been pulling it everyday! I am afraid to see what it is going to look like after I am gone for 2 weeks on vacation!
It'll be greeting me in the driveway.

I have recently experimented with a brine solution on my gravel paths which has been very successful so far. I mix 1kg of cooking salt to 3 gallons of boiling water, this amount fills my sprayer twice, it melts the waxy coating of the horsetail and in turn burns the weed downwards into the roots systemically. This is a cheap form of control as a 3kg bag of cooking salt costs around 88p, and it is also environmentally friendly. A number of applications are needed ie. three to four. Please add your comments to the forum if it works for you.

My concern is, what will grow in soil that has that much salt in it afterwards? I'm not sure if that's the best route to healthy soil....

I don't know, Laurie, if you spray it on the plant - not do a soil drench - then how much salt could really get in the soil? I wonder if this would work with other weeds, as well.

As stated I only used the brine solution on my gravel paths therefore my soil is above the level of the paths no solution penetrates my borders. All other weeds can be sprayed as well and the solution works better on them. As it acts systemically on the horsetail it only works on it deeper down, well below the level of herbacious plants. Using the brine solution is no different than salt spray from the sea which can brown off leaves and even kill some plants.

So glad I don't have horsetail in my yard.

RE...salt spray from the sea. There would have to be a HUGE HUGE Tsunami for me to get any salt spray from the sea in my yard since I live in the center of North America. I have also been told that Roundup is a lot safer in the long run than using salt or vinegar since the latter two actually remain in the soil and change the chemical balance of the soil. Just what I have heard.

But, if Roundup doesn't kill it....

Brenda

salt seems to kill it, I put rock salt on a small patch of garden to see, that was 3 weeks ago, i will wait it out to see if anything comes back. If it doesn't I am writing that garden of. I plan on moving any of the lillys etc to plant along the the edge of the woods where i am not concerned about horsetail. I'll salt the soil and let it sit. Once i am satisfied that all is dead I'll till it and wait, if still nothing then re landscape and mulch it. It will likely have to wait a year or two to plant again and i will only be spot planting for the most part so I'll put new soil in holes around the plants to help. It may not be the best answer, but its at least a means of reclaiming that area. I watched my mother fight it for years, trying cultivation, weeding, round up, etc etc. she spent countless hours trying to fight it over a number of years and after years gave up on it and turned it to grass. I figure this is at least something.

Hiya all....long time no post! Some replies from this thread ended up in my inbox and it got me to thinking.
I have just moved to a new house and there are NO gardens at all so I will have to bring in some soil and after my experience with my first garden I am afraid!
I have decided that what I am going to do this time is make a screen and put every bit of soil that will be going on the ground through it. I hope that by doing this it will at least reduce the amount of roots that will get into the garden.

OK,,,off to catch up on some reading, I am sure I have missed A LOT.

When we moved to our acreage, there was a load of dirt hauled in for us. They brought us chickweed. I still haven't gotten rid of it. I only have chickweed around the deck in a few spots, none in my flowerbeds or garden, thank goodness. I will be mixing up some Par 3 this week and spraying it. Apparently it works well, killing dandelions and also chickweed but letting the grass live on.

Do you also have chickweed in Thompson, hunnerbun? Will Par 3 kill Horsetail?

Brenda

Wow hi Hunnerbun, we missed you! I was scared the horsetail had tied you up and mailed you back to the maritimes.

Brenda chickweed sucks, I hope you can eliminate it. I had it at the old house but none here thank goodness, just every other noxious weed you can name.

Glad to see you posting again Hunnerbun! Congrats on the new house, and I'm sure you'll have no problem getting some new gardens put in asap.;0) Make sure you take lots of pictures to show us.