Methods of dealing with horsetail in the garden. Horsetail in the garden, how to get rid of the weed

12.06.2019

Horsetail is a perennial herbaceous plant from the horsetail family, which has about thirty various kinds and is one of the oldest plant cultures on our planet. This aggressive and at the same time useful weed consists of a long (about 100 cm) creeping branched rhizome and succulent erect shoots - "herringbones" (30 to 50 cm long) with a spike-shaped inflorescence at the top. An unpretentious and tenacious plant easily tolerates frosty winters and high summer temperatures, even forest fires are not afraid of it. The grass grows on any soil, but it feels more favorable in moist forest areas, as well as in meadows, along roads and in vegetable gardens.

Horsetail in the country, garden or garden is a serious problem and cause for concern. The weed reproduces by spores and rhizomes, therefore it easily and very quickly spreads over a vast territory and significantly reduces the quantity and quality of the expected harvest. Its main nutrition is such useful components as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The root system of weeds absorbs all these nutrients from the soil, leaving horticultural crops without feeding. Vegetable plants stop their full development and growth.

Popular species in our country are horsetail "Meadow" and "Bolotny", and in the dachas of the Moscow region you can most often find horsetail "Field" (or "Ordinary"). The people have many different names for this weed - a marsh column, a cat's tail, a pusher, an earthen cone, a field tree, a ponytail, a panicle and many others.

The main feature of horsetail is the ability of its reproductive organs long time maintain their vitality and survival, due to the deep occurrence in the soil. When adjacent to other weeds (for example, fescue and wheatgrass), horsetail can form real dense thickets that are not afraid of drought or excess moisture, sun or shade. To get rid of this culture completely will require a lot of strength and patience, as well as a comprehensive, timely and systematic approach.

Weed control methods

Since the weed culture feels more favorable on moist soils, one of the measures to combat it is to drain the waterlogged area.

Covering areas with horsetail thickets and row spacings with dense opaque material (for example, plastic wrap black color or pieces of plywood) also leads to good results. Herbaceous crops do not have access to light, the heat under cover simply burns them out - all this eventually leads to the death of most of the weeds.

Mulching beds performs two functions at once - it protects against weeds and feeds the soil. As a mulch, it is recommended to use chopped tree bark or shavings, spruce or pine needles, small tree branches, dry grass, straw, and even small river pebbles. First, you need to lay out the geotextile or spunbond, and on top of it a layer of 5 - 7 cm of mulch. Such an obstacle horsetail "too tough."

After harvesting vegetables, you can prepare the site for the next season by sowing it with any plants from the cruciferous family. The roots of crops such as mustard, radish, or canola secrete substances that many weeds, including horsetail, hate. In such a neighborhood, weeds do not grow.

There is another simple proven method. Need to dig deep land plot, along the way, carefully choosing all the roots of perennial plants, and then apply to the soil a large number of wood ash. You can replace deep tillage with its deoxidation by adding slaked lime or dolomite flour.

Good efficiency is obtained by tillage with weeds with chemicals "Zenkor", "Agrokiller", "Prima", "Hurricane", "Roundup" and "Glifos".

Special preventive measures to control weeds will help to reduce many times the amount of horsetail in the country or garden. The most popular are repeated liming of the soil (for 2 to 3 years) and maintaining a stable level of soil acidity. For each square meter land will require from 500g to 2kg of lime. If we add regular weeding to this, then gradually their number will become minimal.

Is there any benefit from it?

Horsetail is used in official and traditional medicine in dry and fresh form, in tinctures and ointments, decoctions and teas, in the form of compresses and powders, lotions and baths.

The herb is used in cooking, cosmetology and as a "medicine" in floriculture.

This is a perennial herbaceous spore plant. Horsetails are the remains and "heirs" of an ancient group of plants that reached their maximum diversity during the Carboniferous period.

Tree-like relatives of horsetails - calamites - were more than 10 m high with a trunk diameter of up to 0.5 m.

Modern horsetails look much more modest, they are all herbaceous plants with relatively thin stems..

However, horsetail is difficult to confuse with any other plant. Horsetail has stiff, ribbed, silica-rich stems, and the leaves are small and fused together.

In many species, side branches diverge from the main stem, giving the plants a resemblance to a small Christmas tree.

Both the Slavic name "horsetail" and the Latin equisetum (equus - horse; seta, setae - bristle, hard hair) reflect the similarity of horsetail shoots with the tail of an animal.

We recognize the weed "in the face"

One of the common types of horsetail is well known to many owners of personal plots - this is field horsetail.

It is widespread in all regions of Ukraine.

As a rule, it grows along roads, on embankments, in floodplain forests and meadows, among bushes, as well as in fields and gardens, preferring nutrient-rich moist soils with an acidic reaction.

Horsetail is one of the indicators of acidic soil. Often forms large thickets.

In many ways, the ability of horsetail to reproduce rapidly is explained by the formation of long underground rhizomes, capable of giving rise to many ground shoots in a short time.

The root system in the form of a thin articular rhizome penetrates the soil to a depth of 30-50 cm to 100 cm.

The bulk of the rhizomes is concentrated at a depth of 30-60 cm. Small nodules are formed on the nodes of the rhizomes, which contain nutrient reserves.

Growth and development of horsetail

Field horsetail is characterized by a pronounced dimorphism of shoots. In early spring, brownish or reddish, juicy, unbranched, erect thick shoots develop, 7-25 cm high, 3-5 mm in diameter, bearing one spore-bearing spikelet at the top.

After maturation and shedding of spores, these shoots die off and instead of them, barren summer vegetative shoots 10-50 cm high grow from the same rhizome - much more rigid, green, with whorled side branches.

The whole plant is hard and rough, as it is impregnated with silicic acid.

Horsetail reproduces both vegetatively and by spores. Shoots from spores and shoots from underground buds appear with the onset of stable warm weather. Segments of rhizomes and nodules, having high viability, can grow from a depth of up to 60 cm.

Due to these biological features, horsetail has a high competitive ability in relation to cultivated and weed plants and becomes a malicious weed on acidic soils.

The economic threshold of harmfulness, that is, the number of weeds, which significantly affects the yield, is 2-5 pieces per 1 sq. meter.

How to deal with field horsetail?

The main measures to combat this annoying weed are agrotechnical. Given the biological characteristics of horsetail and its ecological characteristics, it is necessary to act in two directions:

Firstly, this plant prefers acidic soils, so first you need to achieve a decrease in acidity.
Secondly, since horsetail has a deep branched root system through which it spreads, control measures are applied to deplete it. This is regular weeding with careful selection of roots (together with root nodules), as well as deep pruning of the root system with bladeless tools.

How to reduce soil acidity?

Soil acidity can be reduced by adding lime. Doing so better in autumn. The doses of lime applied depend on the pH value, the mechanical composition of the soil, the content of humus in it and the quality of the lime material.

Our advice:

Lime must be finely crushed before application, as particles larger than 1 mm no longer have a neutralizing effect. Lime is scattered evenly over the soil surface, after which the site is dug up to a depth of at least 20 cm. Thorough and uniform mixing of lime with the soil increases the efficiency of liming.

If lime is applied unevenly, in places where there was an excess of it (for example, a lump fell), the plants may be inhibited, and even their death.

It should be noted that the application rates of lime fertilizers depend on the acidity of the soil, its granulometry, and composition (on heavy soils, lime rates are increased). They should be sufficient to maintain a slightly acidic or close to neutral soil reaction (pH 5.5-6.0).

In the absence of lime, it can be replaced with wood ash, dolomite flour or chalk. Chalk take 10-20 kg per hundred square meters if the soil is light, and 15-20 kg if the soil is heavy.

At the same time, it is better to apply 2/3 of the dose for digging or plowing (in autumn), and 1/3 later (in spring) and harrow or rake. Liming is repeated after 5-6 years.

Chalk can also be applied annually to the rows before sowing or planting vegetable plants, and together with peat, humus or simply with earth in a ratio of 1: 2. In this case, the dose is reduced to 2-3 kg. If wood ash is introduced, then spruce ash is taken twice as much as lime or chalk, and birch and pine ash - one and a half times.

When lime is added, acidity does not change immediately. Depending on the applied dose, a slightly acidic or neutral reaction is established after 1-2 or even 3 years.

Lime improves soil properties for several years. When making 300-400 g of lime per 1 sq. meter, its action can last 5-7 years, and at large doses (600-800 g) - 12-15 years.

Our advice:

On soils of light mechanical composition (sandy and sandy loam), lime is applied in smaller doses, but treatments are carried out more often (when applying 100-200 g per 1 sq. Meter, its effect lasts about 2 years). On these soils, the application of dolomite flour or dolomitic limestone gives particularly good results, which, in addition to calcium, contain a lot of magnesium and not only neutralize the acidity of the soil, but also enrich it with magnesium.

Liming will significantly reduce the number of horsetail, because the conditions for its growth will no longer be so favorable. And after several deep weedings, the horsetail will disappear completely.

Today there are no herbicides that would effectively destroy horsetail.

Since the rhizomes are one of the reproductive organs of horsetail, chemical agents will be effective only if the drugs penetrate the root system.

Igor Shevchuk, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Horticulture UAAS
© Magazine "Ogorodnik"
Photo: depositphotos.com

The property of horsetail to remain viable for a long period due to the reproductive organs (rhizomes and tubers), which lie deep in the soil, provides it with a powerful potential, creates conditions under which this weed is difficult to control.

The plant is distributed in almost the entire temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, grows in North and South Africa and the Canary Islands. It is also a component of the flora in many areas of North America, Canada and Europe due to its strong regenerative capacity - it can be spread by both rhizomes and spores.

The area of distribution of horsetail is impressive - it grows from the tropics to the polar regions, with the exception of Australia, in addition to both marshy and arid areas. Some species contain silicon in the epidermis - an element that gives the stem rigidity and strength.

Horsetails are represented mainly by fossil forms. Modern weed plants have about 32 species and are represented by small forms - do not exceed 40 cm. Of these, nine grow in Ukraine. The most common types of horsetail in our country are field, meadow and marsh. Horsetail is distributed almost throughout Ukraine, and in the steppe regions - only in river valleys, ravines and beams.

Horsetail refers to weeds that are harmful objects, the spread of which in crops leads to a decrease in their yield both in the fields and on household plots. Horsetail has a very harmful ability to "capture the territory" - rapid settlement and spread. Moist places, acidic soils, swamps, wet meadows, banks of rivers and reservoirs are especially favorable for its vegetation. It should be noted that fields and pastures that are not sufficiently or not drained at all are hotspots for its spread, as well as places with sandy soil and gravel, such as roadsides, railways, beaches, and the like. The best conditions for the spread of horsetail, in addition to moisture, are also acidic (pH) of the soil.

Horsetail is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Horsetail family (Equisetaceae) 15-40 cm high with a brownish-black branched rhizome, in the nodes of which spherical nodules are formed. Rhizomes grow both vertically and horizontally: they penetrate deep to 1.8 m, and lie at a depth of 25 to 50 cm in width. Numerous shoots and spherical tubers with a diameter of about 1.25 cm are formed on the horizontal branches of the rhizome, placed alone or in pairs.

horsetail in winter period is preserved in the soil by vegetative underground stems - rhizomes, from which fruit shoots with sporangia appear early. The sporophyte in horsetails consists of a horizontally located underground stem - a rhizome, from which thin branched roots and articulate above-ground stems extend. Lateral branches of the rhizome form small nodules with a supply of nutrients. The stem contains numerous vascular bundles located around the central cavity. On the stems, as well as on the rhizome, the nodes are clearly expressed, which gives them an articulated structure. A ring of secondary branches departs from each node. The leaves are small, wedge-shaped, placed in an annular way - they clasp the stem in the form of a tube. Photosynthesis takes place in the stem. In addition to assimilation stems, horsetail forms unbranched spore-bearing shoots of brown color, at the ends of which sporangia develop, collected in spikelets, where spores are formed.

Horsetail spores have ribbon-like outgrowths (elaters), with which they cling to each other, and therefore germinate in groups, forming chlorophyll-bearing gametophytes. Some of them are male outgrowths from antheridia, the second are female ones from archegonia. After fertilization, which is facilitated by the presence of moisture, a new organism develops. After rash of spores, the shoots die off, and green branched (vegetative summer) shoots grow in their place. Vegetative reproduction occurs due to shoots that sprout from rhizomes, and continues until late autumn. Shoots are able to form even segments of rhizomes 1 cm long.

Horsetail plants form two types of stems: spore-bearing and barren. Spore-bearing shoots are pink-brown, juicy, unbranched, jointed. The leaves are arranged in rings, grow together, forming bell-shaped thickened sheaths with eight to ten black-brown teeth. Spore-bearing shoots are formed in early spring and carry ovoid-cylindrical spikelets with sporophils at the tops, in the sporangia of which spores are formed. After the spores mature, the spore-bearing shoots die off and the plant develops barren green shoots (7-50 cm tall). Barren shoots are simple or branched, with 6-12 ribs and polyhedral twigs placed at random and directed upwards. Tops of stems without branches. The vaginas are narrow bell-shaped, light green below, above - with dark brown triangular-lanceolate teeth and a white border on them. The stems and branches are surrounded by a small toothed sheath at each node. Light-loving plant with a period of sporulation in March - April. The depth of germination from the sprout is no more than 50 cm.

Horsetail does not form flowers and seeds, the plant reproduces by spores, horizontal rhizomes and vesicles. Spore-bearing stems develop in early spring, one spikelet produces millions of tiny spores (0.1 mm in diameter). They are viable for about 48 hours after being released from the spikelet ( necessary condition for their germination - a humid environment). Since the spores of this weed are too small, when carrying out agrotechnical or chemical measures at this stage, it is possible to destroy their overwhelming number, if not all potential horsetail plants. Scientists have found that it is inappropriate to consider spores as one of the ways horsetail spreads, in particular in fields where agrotechnical activities are carried out.

Horsetail reproduces, as noted above, by spores formed on spore-bearing shoots, and spreads with the help of rhizomes. According to foreign researchers, it was found that half of the rhizomes, that is, 50%, is concentrated at a depth of 25 cm of the soil profile. And the remaining 50% - was distributed equally at a depth of up to 50 cm - respectively, 25% of rhizomes for every 25 cm of soil in depth.

Under certain conditions, the plant reproduces by vesicles growing from the nodes of the rhizomes and which are separated from it. Therefore, with the help of such propagules, horsetail propagates vegetatively.

It should be borne in mind that horsetail plants have the ability to reach the soil surface from a great depth of rhizomes. For example, when conducting a study, it was found that individual segments of rhizomes 1.25 cm long, which were planted at a depth of 15.24 cm, easily produced new shoots. Also, horsetail can withstand shade for short periods and continue growing even if the rhizomes lack the required amount of carbohydrates produced, which are stored in them and are needed for plant growth and development. Sunlight directly affects the formation of bubbles. Thus, the formation of bubbles is rapidly reduced in shading plants. Conversely, their production is increased when plants grow in full sunlight.

Due to the fact that the rhizomes reach a depth of several meters, horsetail plants tend to withstand long periods without precipitation without complications for their growth and development. This property largely limits the effectiveness of its control, both with the help of agrotechnical and chemical measures. Also, organs of storage and regeneration, nodules, serve as a means of spreading the weed. The size of the bubbles increases depending on the depth of the rhizome, which contributes to the strong regenerative ability of the plant. It was found that horsetail plants after flooding germinated through silt layers up to 1 m thick. Systematic treatment does not form spore-bearing stems.

How to get rid of horsetail

The main control measures for horsetail are aimed at its depletion. To do this, tillage operations are carried out with deep pruning of the root system with non-moldboard tools. Chemicals control of field horsetail should ensure the penetration of systemic drugs directly into the root system.

During the course of 50 years of research on the effect of herbicides on limiting the number of horsetail, an interesting result was obtained. It turned out that their use for the control of annual broad-leaved weeds created the prerequisites for the dominance of horsetail in crops. Also, based on the research, scientists concluded that horsetail is too sensitive to competition for light as the main factor in growth and development.

One of the features of the biology of horsetail is its slow growth. Shoots sprouted from rhizomes in March reach their maximum growth only in July, maximum height - in August. And horsetail forms the maximum number of shoots in September, dry matter in the rhizomes does not accumulate until October. Nodules formed at the end of summer increase both in size and number until November.

It has also been established that soil cultivation depleted large underground reserves of carbohydrates in horsetail plants. However, the weed was very resilient due to its large underground root system. Soil compaction and long grain crop rotations, that is, monocultivation, contributed to an increase in horsetail abundance. Repeated loosening of the soil during one production season had little effect on the development of weeds, but minimal tillage in monoculture after a few years stimulated the growth and spread of horsetail.

In addition, during the research, certain patterns were identified that influenced the decrease in the number of horsetail against the background without the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers and the simultaneous introduction of potash. It was established that under the influence of the latter, the growth and development of horsetail was limited even without the application of nitrogen fertilizers - it was suppressed as a result of accelerating the growth rate of agriculture and increasing its competitive opportunities in the world. Thus, there is no reason to consider nitrogen fertilizers as one of the factors stimulating the growth and development of horsetail.

Given the complex biology of weeds, scientists continue to investigate effective measures collections with horsetail, including chemical ones. Since the vegetative organs of reproduction and distribution of the weed lie deep in the soil and have protective mechanisms that contribute to its long-term storage and survival in adverse conditions, the use of selective contact herbicides does not provide a pronounced long-term effect on limiting the harmfulness of horsetail. Thus, preparations based on the active ingredients glyphosate, MCPA, dichlorprop and mecoprop had a limited effect on the growth and development of horsetail after their application. In addition, it was noted that as a result of the insufficient effectiveness of herbicides, the physiological activity of weeds changed significantly.

It was determined that even the effectiveness of the drug of continuous action, glyphosate, in the control of horsetail was unsatisfactory. Farmers from the experience of using glyphosate noted that after applying it three times during one season to limit the harmfulness of horsetail in next year there were no signs of a decrease in its distribution in these fields.

At the same time, continuous action preparations based on glyphosate, due to their systemic action and the ability to control segetal vegetation both on the surface and in the soil, remain one of the most effective preparations for combating horsetail.

To obtain the maximum technical effectiveness of herbicides during spraying, factors such as the biological activity of the weed and the optimal weather conditions for its development during the entire period of action of the preparations should be taken into account. That is, the effectiveness of the preparations used for processing is directly affected by the active vegetation of horsetail. In addition, it is not advisable to apply drugs during a severe drought, during which the germination of weeds will slow down and water stress will occur in plants. Therefore, spraying is recommended after precipitation. In the event that precipitation is expected in the near future (4-5 hours before treatment), spraying is not advisable, since the active substance of the herbicides will not be completely absorbed by the weeds during this time.

In July-October, certain physiological processes take place in the plant, in particular, the active growth of the rhizome, the formation of bubbles and the stable storage of assimilants in the underground system. Therefore, the application of glyphosate in August during the study period provided consistently better control compared to sprays earlier in the season. The increased movement of assimilants at the end of summer to the organs of active growth (tops of rhizomes, nodes and vesicles) contributed to better translocation of the drug.

Of course, the fight against horsetail is a complex problem that is not solved even by repeated cultivation of the soil. The developed system of rhizomes does not allow destroying the horsetail completely - during spraying in weeds, only the aerial part of the plant is destroyed and its recovery slows down. An experiment conducted by scientists in Canada showed that 16 times hand weeding in one summer of areas infested with horsetail did not provide sufficient control.

In passing, we note that during 2013-2014, six field trials were conducted on Ontario farms in corn crops under conditions of severe infestation of horsetail to determine the effectiveness of various post-emergence herbicides to control this weed. It was found that after the use of preparations based on nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron or flumetsulam and rimsulfuron in combination with flumetsulam, the phytotoxicity of corn was minimal and short-term and amounted to 3% or even less.

For maximum effective fight with horsetail, there are only two herbicides recommended for use on non-agricultural lands. In nurseries ornamental plants, berries and fruit trees diclobenil (trade name Casoron) should be used, the use of which is also advisable in cereal crops. The second herbicide is chlorsulfuron (trade name Telar) or sulfometuron (trade name Oust).

In contrast, the use of nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron in combination with MCPA, flumetsulam in combination with MCPA, rimsulfuron in combination with flumetsulam and MCPA caused maize phytotoxicity in the range of 6%. The introduction of a post-emergence herbicide - nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron, flumetsulam, MCPA, nicosulfuron - and a combination of rimsulfuron + flumetsulam and rimsulfuron + MCPA provided technical efficiency in limiting the number of horsetail from 22 to 68%, reduced weed density by 27-64, and biomass - by 38 -77%.

Spraying of corn crops with preparations based on flumetsulam in combination with MCPA and nicosulfuron and rimsulfuron - with flumetsulam and MCPA controlled horsetail at the level of 69-83% and reduced the density and biomass of weeds at the level of 87%.

Based on these data, it can be concluded that the combination of flumetsulam with MCPA and nicosulfuron and rimsulfuron with flumetsulam and MCPA provided the best and most consistent control of horsetail in corn crops compared with the use of a post-emergence herbicide, the effectiveness of which was studied during their trials. .

According to the proposals of domestic scientists, effective preparations for combating horsetail recommended by the "List of pesticides and agrochemicals permitted for use in Ukraine" are preparations based on the following active ingredients:

2,4-D 500, RK - 0.9-1.7 l / ha - for spraying vegetative weeds in crops of grain spiked and cereal grasses during the stage of tillering organogenesis, corn - in the phase of three to five leaves.

Agritoks, RK (MCPA in the form of salts of dimethylamine sodium, potassium, 500 g/l) - 1.0-1.5 l/ha, 2M-4X 750, RK (MCPA in the form of dimethylamine salt, 750 g/l) - 0 ,9-1.5 l / ha (or other herbicides based on 2M-4X) - for spraying vegetative weeds in crops of grain spiked and cereal grasses during the stage of tillering organogenesis.

Dialen Super 464 SL, w.r.k. (2,4-D, 344 g/l in acid equivalent + dicamba, 120 g/l, in the form of dimethylamine salt) - 0.8 l/ha (winter wheat), 0.5-0.7 l/ha ( spring wheat and barley), 1.0-1.25 l/ha (corn) - for spraying vegetative weeds in grain crops during the stage of tillering organogenesis, corn - in the phase of three to five leaves.

Esteron 60, Ph.D. (2-ethylhexyl ether 2,4-D, 850 g / l) - 0.6-0.8 l / ha (barley, wheat), 0.7-0.8 l / ha (corn) - for spraying vegetative weeds in crops of barley, wheat during the stage of tillering organogenesis, corn - in the phase of three to five leaves.

Prima, p. e. (2-ethylhexyl ether 2,4-D, 452.2 g / l in combination with florasulam, 6.25 g / l) - 0.6 l / ha - for spraying vegetative weeds in cereal grain crops during the stage tillering, sorghum and corn organogenesis - at the stage of three to five leaves.

At the same time, scientists note that horsetail roots lead to clogging drainage pipes, are one of the reasons for inefficient work drainage systems in Lithuania. Therefore, in such conditions, limiting the distribution of horsetail is an acute problem. One of the reasons that influenced the spread of this weed was the agrochemical composition of the soil in the fields. Both mechanical and chemical measures are recommended to control this field pollutant in areas where field drainage is applied. To determine their effectiveness, the results of weeding, soil liming and herbicide application (Roundup Classic and Dialen 400 SL) were compared.

According to the research data, it was found that the limitation of the growth and development of weeds was maximum when the soil was limed and the horsetail was intensively weeded. In addition, liming reduces soil acidity. The introduction of herbicides reduced the density of invasion by an average of 38%.

For targeted control of horsetail, all possible measures should be taken. In particular, it is recommended to cover the aisles with black plastic wrap or mulch the soil. Used for mulching various materials as of organic origin (crushed bark, wood chips, needles, pruning, dried lawn grass, cut hay, etc.), and inert (gravel, river pebbles). Mulching materials are recommended to be laid on spunbond or geotextile. Waterlogged areas should be drained.

Horsetail reacts negatively to the proximity to plants of the cruciferous family, such as winter rapeseed, oil radish, white mustard, arugula and others. The root secretions of these plants have the ability to suppress weeds. Therefore, one of the elements of control can be the sowing of fields after harvesting with these cruciferous crops. It should be noted that winter rye also has allelopathic properties - this crop can be sown to limit the number of horsetail.

As one of the possible measures to combat horsetail, foreign scientists recommend attracting birds, in particular ducks, which willingly consume this type of weed. Also, certain insect species that feed on horsetail, in particular Dolerus spp., Grypidus equiseti, Grypus spp. and Hippuriphila spp. violate it normal growth and development.

conclusions

Summarizing the above, we can conclude that it is impossible to provide complete and reliable control of horsetail. To achieve absolute control, it is necessary to develop and implement long-term programs that contain agrotechnical and chemical measures. It should also be borne in mind that drying and liming of soils are important elements its control systems. And the cultivation of agricultural plants in conditions of high farming culture, the introduction of varieties with high competitive properties to limit the growth and development of horsetail are indispensable measures to control its numbers. It should be borne in mind that perennial weeds are characterized by extraordinary productivity, and if their reliable control is not ensured with the help of reclamation, agrotechnical and chemical measures, crop yield losses will be significant.

I. Storchous, cand. s.-x. Sciences

Information for citation

Biological features and methods of control of horsetail / I. Storchous // Proposition. - 2017. - S. 116-122

Horsetail is a malicious weed that most often comes to us with imported soil from developed peatlands, where this plant loves to settle.

Horsetail is a very harmful weed that produces spore-bearing shoots in the most different corners garden, starting in mid-May. The plant is dangerous because its growing rhizomes draw all the moisture out of the ground and impoverish the soil, preventing cultivated plants from developing normally.

When digging (both spring and autumn), horsetail roots are hardly noticeable, so it is difficult to select them. Meanwhile, they can go into the soil to a depth of 40-60 cm or even 1 m. It is very difficult to dig the earth to such a depth. Thus, the shovel does not reach the rhizomes of the weed, and it quietly multiplies, populating new territories. Therefore, there are several rules for preparing the soil on the site, following which you can protect the site from horsetail.

Principles of soil preparation

1. When using imported land, make sure that it does not contain inconspicuous blackish rhizomes of horsetail. Otherwise, the plant will settle in your area, and it will be difficult to get rid of it.

2. Lime the soil to create unfavorable conditions for the growth of horsetail. Usually, calcium-containing preparations are used for this purpose (lime, chalk, ash, dolomite flour).

If horsetail grows on the site, then the soil is acidic

Dolomite flour is considered the most popular and most convenient remedy. Indeed, in addition to reducing acidity, it also improves the structure of the soil and enriches it with magnesium. And, unlike lime, dolomite flour can be applied at any time of the year.

The table shows the approximate doses of dolomite flour during liming different types soil.

3. Be consistent. In the first year, apply the full dose of lime materials, and in the next 2-3 years - no more than half. It is preferable to do this in the spring. If you alternate this event with weeding out the green stems of horsetail, then after 3-4 years you can completely get rid of this insidious weed.

What drugs will get rid of horsetail?

Since horsetail is a spore, and not a flowering plant, the use of Tornado or Roundup preparations is ineffective. Horsetail can only be destroyed by using a large dose (4 ml / 10 sq.m) of a more powerful herbicide, such as Glyphos. But in this case, there is a high probability of hazardous chemicals entering not only the soil, but also vegetables and fruits.

Horsetail does not get along with plants of the Cruciferous family: winter rapeseed, oilseed radish, white mustard. Therefore, in order to protect the site from weeds, after harvesting, these plants can be sown on empty beds. Winter rye has the same property.

Medicinal properties of horsetail

On the one hand, horsetail is a malicious weed that takes nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus from the soil and accumulates them in its nodules.

And on the other hand, this is a unique medicinal plant, which contains a large amount of valuable substances, as well as silicic acid, which the human body really needs. It is necessary for the construction of the skeleton, the functioning of the mucous membranes, the healing of wounds and damage to the walls of blood vessels. Silicon compounds found in horsetail prevent the formation of kidney stones. It is especially effective in diseases of the urinary tract.

For cooking medicinal tea horsetail 1-2 tsp dried chopped herbs pour 250 ml hot water, insist 30 minutes and filter. It is recommended to drink up to 3 cups of this drug per day.

Of course, for an ordinary summer resident, horsetail is a weed that harms plantings. Therefore, carefully check the brought soil, monitor the acidity of the soil and get rid of “random” weeds in a timely manner before they have time to flood the entire area.

In terms of its ability to take nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from the ground, horsetail is noticeably superior to other weeds.

We are used to seeing these Christmas trees, but in early spring horsetail may not be recognized. In damp meadows and wastelands, in ravines and abandoned beds, juicy brownish-pink "candles" appear. These first spore-bearing shoots are replaced by green, stiff, thin twigs in early summer.

Horsetail summer grass has long been used in folk medicine as a hemostatic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent.

Why is he dangerous?

And yet, despite these virtues, horsetail has a reputation as a noxious weed. In appearance, it is discreet and even boring: it has neither flowers nor spreading leaves. Likes high humidity, prefers light soils. However, he is ready to adapt to a variety of conditions.

Like most weeds, horsetail is stubborn and hardy. Where the earth has not been disturbed for years with a plow or a shovel, it does not let its black-and-white rhizome go further than 40-50 cm. In crops, it sometimes deepens into the soil by 1.5 m. in the rhizome with small nodules located on it, reserves of sugars and starch.

Horsetail is especially successful in making its preparations on fallow lands or in a potato field, where it takes a weighty portion of mineral nutrition from a cultivated host.

Having decided to get rid of this green "predator", do not expect to defeat it with a simple weeding. Most likely, after a couple of weeks, you will find with chagrin that there is even more horsetail on the site than it was.

And this is not surprising: the nodules of rhizomes remaining in the ground are the organs of vegetative reproduction. By destroying the above-ground part of the plant, you have only forced it to vigorously fight for survival. That's when the nodules with a supply of nutrients came in handy for the weed.

How to get rid of horsetail

How to deal with this harmful plant?

Among other things, the presence of this weed is considered one of the signs of increased soil acidity. The introduction of dolomite flour or crushed slaked lime for digging helps to reduce it.

On a note

Against horsetail, you can use the herbicide "Glyphos". It blocks the synthesis of aromatic amino acids in plants, as a result of which the weed gradually dies off. It is practically safe for bees, however, it causes a limitation of their flight from 6 to 12 hours.

Biological method of dealing with horsetail

Horsetail does not tolerate neighborhood with cabbage crops (formerly called cruciferous). Their root secretions are capable of suppressing weeds. Therefore, in places where the appearance of horsetail was noticed, radishes, radishes, daikon, rapeseed or mustard should be planted next year.

Horsetail - traditional medicine recipes

In winter, you can prepare an infusion of horsetail to boost immunity.

Its use will help to resist viral infections. 1 st. l. dry grass pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain. This is the amount of infusion to drink in 3-4 doses during the day.

With an exacerbation of cystitis, a decoction of horsetail is used. 2 tbsp. l. dried herbs, pour 1 liter of water, boil for 10 minutes, let it brew in a warm place for 20 minutes, strain. Take 150-200 ml 2-3 times a day. Do not throw away the squeezed grass, but place it in a gauze bag and apply it warmly to the lower abdomen.

Viktor Anatolievich Krylov

Horsetail is an obsessive weed, very tenacious, loves to grow on sour and clay soils. Its summer shoots are very similar to young Christmas trees. In spring, the plant produces spore-bearing shoots of a pinkish color, very juicy and not branched.

Horsetail refers to root shoot weeds that propagate through rhizomes. They have a thin and strong root, black or dark brown. The root system lies at a depth of sixty centimeters.

How to get rid of horsetail in the garden

Prepare a respirator and gloves, garden tools, lime fertilizers, chemicals and cruciferous seeds. Now let's get started.

1. According to agronomists, fields and gardens become more and more clogged every year. Marsh horsetail is rightfully considered the most intrusive weed that loves to clog crops. Its thickets actively deplete and dry up the soil, which makes it difficult to care for crops, reduces the yield of vegetable gardens and fields.

2. Horsetail roots break through to a sufficiently large depth, and the processes are very large, so a special approach is needed to them. How to get rid of horsetail in the garden? There are special ways to deal with this weed that work well.

You can stop at mechanical method- weeding, digging, loosening. Of course, this method is very laborious, but the most reliable. Weeding is done carefully, all weeds should be removed from the garden, otherwise they will sprout in a new way. The roots, as mentioned above, penetrate very deeply, so it will not be possible to completely pull out the plant. The rest will give new shoots very quickly.

3. It is worth taking advantage of horsetail's love for acidic soils. It is necessary to introduce limestone, calcite, slaked lime, dolomite, sugar production waste into the ground. This helps to reduce the acidity of the earth. And horsetail does not like non-acidic soils. Get rid of it in this way, albeit not immediately, but it will work. This method reduces the concentration of nutrients in the ground, so you should carefully read the instructions on the packages of the chemical materials used.

4. How to get rid of horsetail in the garden with the least effort? You can populate the area with cruciferous plants, such as white mustard, arugula or winter rapeseed. This will greatly overshadow the existence of horsetail.

5. You can plant seeds of winter rye, which acts as a kind of orderly on the site. But the fastest and perhaps the most in an efficient way still considered chemical. In specialized stores, buy fertilizers that destroy weeds, but do not harm cultivated plants.

6. Another method of how to get rid of horsetail in the garden is to prevent its spores from ripening, as a result of which the plant gradually dries out. To do this, from the beginning of spring, every twelve days, simply mow the weed and weed the aisles. However, you should watch the growth of horsetail, because in rainy weather, its sprouts appear and stretch much faster. Good luck!

Horsetail is a perennial herbaceous plant from the horsetail family, which has about thirty different species and is one of the oldest plant crops on our planet. This aggressive and at the same time useful weed consists of a long (about 100 cm) creeping branched rhizome and succulent erect shoots - "herringbones" (30 to 50 cm long) with a spike-shaped inflorescence at the top. An unpretentious and tenacious plant easily tolerates frosty winters and high summer temperatures, even forest fires are not afraid of it. The grass grows on any soil, but it feels more favorable in moist forest areas, as well as in meadows, along roads and in vegetable gardens.

Description

Horsetail in the country, garden or garden is a serious problem and cause for concern. The weed reproduces by spores and rhizomes, therefore it easily and very quickly spreads over a vast territory and significantly reduces the quantity and quality of the expected harvest. Its main nutrition is such useful components as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The root system of weeds absorbs all these nutrients from the soil, leaving garden crops without top dressing. Vegetable plants stop their full development and growth.

The main feature of horsetail is the ability of its reproductive organs to maintain their viability and survival for a long time, due to its deep occurrence in the soil. When adjacent to other weeds (for example, fescue and wheatgrass), horsetail can form real dense thickets that are not afraid of drought or excess moisture, sun or shade. To get rid of this culture completely will require a lot of strength and patience, as well as a comprehensive, timely and systematic approach.

Weed control methods

Since the weed culture feels more favorable on moist soils, one of the measures to combat it is to drain the waterlogged area.

Covering horsetail areas and row spacings with dense light-tight material (such as black plastic sheeting or pieces of plywood) also leads to good results. Herbaceous crops do not have access to light, the heat under cover simply burns them out - all this eventually leads to the death of most of the weeds.

There is another simple proven method. It is necessary to dig the land deep, carefully choosing all the roots of perennial plants along the way, and then add a large amount of wood ash to the soil. You can replace deep tillage with its deoxidation by adding slaked lime or dolomite flour.

Good efficiency is obtained by tillage with weeds with chemicals "Zenkor", "Agrokiller", "Prima", "Hurricane", "Roundup" and "Glifos".

Special preventive measures to control weeds will help to reduce many times the amount of horsetail in the country or garden. The most popular are repeated liming of the soil (for 2 to 3 years) and maintaining a stable level of soil acidity. For each square meter of land, from 500 g to 2 kg of lime will be required. If we add regular weeding to this, then gradually their number will become minimal.

Is there any benefit from it?

Horsetail is used in official and folk medicine in dry and fresh form, in tinctures and ointments, decoctions and teas, in the form of compresses and powders, lotions and baths.

The herb is used in cooking, cosmetology and as a "medicine" in floriculture.

Horsetail is a special guest in the garden. They are constantly fighting with him, trying to completely get rid of him. He is not afraid of marshy or dry places. Such a weed is in the category of difficult to remove. It lives on acidic soils and deepens the roots by 1-2 m.

Ways to fight

It is quite difficult for opponents of chemicals to get rid of horsetail. When digging, carefully select the rhizomes and take them outside the site. Shoots left on the ground can take root again and give impetus to the development of new plants. Segments of rhizomes 1 cm long are capable of producing new shoots. In the spring, it is better to cut the processes immediately so that the spores do not have time to spread by the wind. So you can fight horsetail for more than one year.

Liming reduces the acidity of the soil, thereby slowing down the growth of the weed. Under digging, slaked lime, dolomite flour, limestone, and ash are added. In the first year, 2-3 kg per 1 sq.m., in the next two years, 500 g per 1 sq.m. At the same time, be prepared for a simultaneous decrease in nutrients in the soil. Combine liming with weeding.

Eco-gardeners get rid of horsetail with the help of cruciferous plants. The weed plot is densely sown with rapeseed, white mustard, oilseed radish, horseradish, or cabbage. So at the same time the soil is good and the weeds stop growing.

Without special efforts complete absence of light will help get rid of horsetail. If there are zones of a continuous carpet of grass, then they are covered with a dense black plastic wrap for several years. It is good to press down the edges with bricks, and sprinkle pebbles or gravel on top. Use mulching: sawdust, wood chips, shredded bark.

For herbicidal treatment, choose a cloudy evening so that there is no wind. Don't forget to wear protective equipment: mask, respirator, rubber gloves, use . Work carefully, don't rush.

Horsetail spreads quickly, it is enough to get at least one spore into the garden and next year an unpleasant surprise will await you. Destroy new shoots immediately so that the grass does not have time to develop defense mechanism from herbicides.