I've recently moved into a new house with a garden infested by horsetail. I've already laid down cardboard and mulched, and I really try to keep the growth in check by mowing every week. I know horsetail is persistent and won't be completely eradicated, which I'm okay with. My main question is whether it's completely safe to hoe off the sterile tops (the ferny green parts, not the seed heads) and just leave them there. Some of my garden beds are quite deep, so I'd prefer not to step all over them to pick everything up. Is there any chance they might regrow from what's left behind?
2 Answers
That's a good question! The tricky part is that if any of those green tops have a black part attached, they can potentially sprout new plants from that. Honestly, I'd be cautious and suggest that leaving them might not be the best idea if you want to keep horsetail at bay. It can be managed, but it takes a lot of work and persistence.
What I've done in the past is use a sharp knife to cut the stems right under the soil before they get a chance to mature. I then collect the cuttings and dry them out before burning them. It's important not to compost anything from infected areas to avoid spreading it elsewhere. I've found that covering a spot with mulch for a few years helped lessen the infestation but didn’t completely eradicate it, so just keep at it!
That sounds smart! If you're just cutting the sterile parts off, shouldn't be a problem, right? I get that it’s better to be safe with horsetail. I've dealt with it before, and while it's tough, regular maintenance can really weaken it over time.