Hi from the Blackdown Hills

[couscous]

I saw this site originally on Click on Line. Good old BBC.
Living on higher ground has it's advantages but we suffer from
low cloud which is a bit like living in a ball of damp cotton wool.
I do try to be organic but the garden seems to have every notifiable
weed known to mankind (with the exception of Japanese Knot Weed - which has not found it's way here yet). Does anyone out there know a cure for Mares Tails?

[hay331]

Hello and welcome! I am fairly new here too.

Are you anywhere near the Wellington Tower. My Uncle lives in Wellington and I visited last month. He decided to show me this HUGE tower and as he has never been to the top decided we would climb up, all 175ft, totally totally dark. I'm proud to say I made it to the top (breathless) and the views were fantastic. Uncle is 73 and would put many a younger person to shame, in fact there were a few young people followed us up but gave up halfway!

Don't really know too much about the weed side of things but I know you will get help here!

[couscous]

Hi Hay
Thanks for the welcome. We live about 2 miles from the Monument. Although dedicated to the Duke of Wellington, he never actually visited the town. Wellington is also famous for Welling School who gave us such notables as Keith Floyd and Jeffery Archer!
Your Uncle sounds great for his age. I have only approached the Monument from the 'easy' side.
I see one of your interests is 'horses' so you should know all about mares tails!! I also like horses. Some of the ones I back should be in a stew.
Next time you visit Wellington; bring me some rock dust please.

[Chickenlady]

Welcome to the site, Couscous!

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello Cous cous welcome to the site

Click on line phew that was a while ago now you must have been lurking for months I hope you think the site has improved in that time.

As for mares tails not really up on the names of weed so not really sure which one it is so I only have general advice really. Stick some carpet over the top of the any areas that you are not using this will kill all weeds eventually. Otherwise simply doing lots and lots of digging can work. I have a real bad couch grass problem and am forever digging. It is a bit of a Sisyphusian task but it works.

[couscous]

Hi Andy and thanks for the welcome.
Yes I have been 'lurking' for ages. Added your site to my Favourites Bar and then promptly forgot about you. Pity cos it's a really good site now.
(Incidently, anyone out there know how to delete stuff from the 'favourites' bar?)
Mares Tails are a prehistoric plant that has a deep underground main travelling root system which throws up the 'tails' along it. They look a bit like sparse green bottle brushs. Tried the carpet trick. Left a thick area of carpet on a heavily infested area for seven years! When removed - what came up first - you guessed it. I heard of one guy who dug out his entire garden down to a depth of 7' and had all the soil replaced at vast expense. Didn't cure the problem.
I'm going to try a 'test' area and dig out a trench - lay the carpet in that - and then re-fill with soil. I had to look up Sisyphus in the dictionary. Poor chap. I know how he feels.
As for couch grass - dare I mention 'Roundup' on this site without getting booted out?

[Wombat]

G'Day Couscous,

Nice to meet you, I haven't come across that particular weed but is sounds pretty indestructible..........a pity its not also edible!

Nev

[sunpuppy]

Hi Couscous,

I found this info on the HDRA's website: http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/wc1.htm, which might come in useful.

Apparently it used to be used for scouring pans with!

[couscous]

Hi sunpuppy. Thanks for that link. Very informative. I didn't know about
the fertile brown tops that emerge first. The soil here is very poor - green sand - but I also have areas that are extremely wet and acidic so I'll have to keep a vigil there and take off the fertile bits before they spread again.

[greenbean]

Hi couscous,
I have mares tail all over my garden, in the greenhouse, everywhere - it seems be be very hard to get rid of. I pull up as much as possible. My neighbours son works for the botanic gardens and he suggests that I expose as much surface area of the green brush bit as possible by scraping the leaves off and then squirt it with roundup, and then pull out the dead bit a few days later. I have only lived here for one year so my battle is in it's early stages. I don't like to use roundup but with this weed, it's probably the best route to go down.
Good luck!
Pam

[Andy Hamilton]

did a bit of reading up on mares tail, as it is one of the few plants that date back to prehistoric days then I guess it would have to be tough to beat ice ages! I suposed to be good to wash pots and pans with as it absorbs silica and so will make your pans non-stick.

[couscous]

Hi Greenbean
The stuff is a real menace when it comes up in the greenhouse.
It makes sense to scrape the brushes to break down the silica so it will absorb the roundup. Back-breaking work hey!! I hate Monsanto and everything they do. I just make the teenyist exception for roundup. I just pretend it isn't manufactured by them!


Andy
I just can't wait for my first flush of mares tails to appear to tackle those pots and pans Want me to send you some??

[Andy Hamilton]

Andy
I just can't wait for my first flush of mares tails to appear to tackle those pots and pans Want me to send you some??

Might be good for pots and pans, but after hearing this discussion not sre if I want them anywhere near what I am growing