# Plant Identification...



## irw (12 Apr 2021)

Hey folks- I'm helping a friend do up a house that he rents out, and recently these 'things' have fairly quickly popped up in the back lawn...they're a bit freaky looking, kind of remind us of the 'Nemesis' creature at Alton Towers! 

Anyone have any idea what they are? There's quite a lot of them whatever they are!


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## Justified_Sinner (12 Apr 2021)

Once they truly pop up they will deserve the epithet "nemesis". 
These are horsetails - Equisetum hyemale. They are amazing things but indestructible. They have remained in this form, unevolved for hundreds of millions of years. They isolate silica in their outer cells - to the extent that they used to be used as pan scourers! - and this makes them very, very tough.
They need to be relentlessly dug out over and over - the tiniest fragment will create a new plant. Herbicides won't touch them.


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## fossyant (12 Apr 2021)

Oh dear. Nuke the whole garden.


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## Darius_Jedburgh (12 Apr 2021)

Horsetails. 'Orrible things. Been around since the days of the dinosaurs.
They will disappear in a lawn if you mow it regularly. They don't like that.
You "can" get rid of them in a border but it takes a lot of work. Get some glyphosate gel. Paint it on and cover with a plastic bag and elastic band. Repeat weekly. Repeat for a few months and they will go way. But if there are any in next door's garden then they will come back.
Almost indestructible.


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## Andy_R (12 Apr 2021)

Looking at the colouring and thickness of the stem it looks more like Giant Horsetail - Equisetum telmateia. Just keep on top of the mowing - don't bother using glyphosphate (horrible stuff!)


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## midlife (12 Apr 2021)

Get your own back and eat them (I think they are edible)....


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## PK99 (12 Apr 2021)

https://www.flowerpotman.com/garden...hosate with a small,this as new shoots appear.


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## Justified_Sinner (12 Apr 2021)

Andy_R said:


> Looking at the colouring and thickness of the stem it looks more like Giant Horsetail - Equisetum telmateia. Just keep on top of the mowing - don't bother using glyphosphate (horrible stuff!)



I think you're right. I had another look. Too brown/amber to be E. hyemale at this time of year.


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## bagpuss (12 Apr 2021)

The plant ,nightmares are made of .Our allotment plot is infeasted with it ,due to the high water table . Mowing will help as others have said. Called mares tail in my part of Derbyshire .


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## irw (12 Apr 2021)

Thanks for all the responses folks- good to know it's nothing sinister. Looks like the lawnmower is going to see a good bit of action I feel!


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## PaulSB (13 Apr 2021)

Completely agree, mowing the lawn will control those in the grass. Any in borders should be carefully removed when you see them. It's true heavy duty chemical treatment will eventually work but myself I think life's too short and I don't want glyphosate in my garden.


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## PK99 (13 Apr 2021)

I've controlled the beast in a number of gardens.

Left to its own devices it tends to rampage if it likes the conditions - so make it unwelcome. 

Digging out is not possible - roots go far too deep. But constantly removing any visible growth deprives it of the light all plants need to thrive. Hence mowing lawns tends to control spread there.

In borders, constant vigilance in removing all visible growth can control without killing.

The best solution I've found is a two-pronged physical and chemical attack. Localized glyphosate - painting with gel is best - followed by removing top growth a week later. Continue through growing season on a weekly basis (the gardens in question, I serviced once a week). You won't succeed in killing the beast completely but you do make it less of a problem.


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