Identify This Weed/Fern

PN14

Hi guys,
Reseeded a wet field back end of last year and opened drains etc. Looking good so far nice cover of grass no sign of rushes coming back yet. It does have a kind of fern / weed growing throughout it though. Can anyone identify this from photo below and what spray would treat it. Some clover in reseed that I'd like to keep.

Oldtree

That looks like horsetail and its very difficult to get rid of

_Brian

I'm no expert but would it be Horsetail ??

Google "horsetail weed" or "horsetail weed shoots" and see.. I can't quite tell from your photos..
If you could pick a boi and photo it on your hand or on some paper..

If it is horsetail then the reseed tilling would have spread it badly, once broken up each scrap regrows to a new plant, and to my knowledge there is very little that will kill it..

Just to add..
It spreads on machinery so if your topping it or cutting be very thorough to clean equipment afterwards before bringing it to clean ground. This weed has been around since prehistoric times virtually unchanged and I've seen gardens needing to be dug out to eliminate it.

PN14

Thanks guys from googling horsetail it would appear thats what we have alright. Sounds like a right pain of a weed to have and difficult to control. Field conditions are perfect for its growth given info I've looked up on google. Any tips of what might work to control it in grassland.

_Brian

Not too many sprays will do the trick.

Check out "Garlon 2"

Oldtree

Horsetails (Equisetum spp.)
This is a species of damp conditions. It is poisonous to horses, although horses are unlikely to eat it and large amounts are needed for clinical symptoms to occur. Death is rare and vitamin B1 is an antidote.

Pg45 here:

http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2011/70/70_Horse_Grassland_2010_web.pdf

reilig gave this advice here in 2011:

"We have a similar problem with horsetails. Glyphos spray will stunt them for a week but will not kill them. You have to use a brushwood like Vitax or Hytrol. Putting roundup on is simply a waste of money and time."

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=72264120

Genghis Cant

It's certainly Horsetail, Common Horsetail probably (there's also Water and Wood Horsetail)

I seem to remember it growing in some boggy ground we had, and I seem to think it doesnt like being topped.
But that's from memory goin back a long time, over ten years!

Good loser

Would expect it to die out naturally if ground is dry. Also if it's cut. It will not compete with grass if well fertilised. Expect too that stock will trample it readily and thin it out.

_Brian

Good loser wrote: »

Would expect it to die out naturally if ground is dry. Also if it's cut. It will not compete with grass if well fertilised. Expect too that stock will trample it readily and thin it out.

I woldn't expect that..
I've seen it growing in gravel..
There was a patch at the end of our lane growing in pure packed 804. I had nothing to hand to deal with it but somehow some diesel got spilled on it and it went immediatly.
My sister had her garden invaded and it was awful.. foolishly they tried digging it over after spraying with roundup... It just multiplied and one whole section was lost to it, lots of plants just smothered out..

PN14

Thanks for info guys it all helps to know what we're trying to deal with.

Does anyone know whether it is harmful to cattle in silage, silage bales, hay etc. Also if some of it was to get into fodder is it likely to be spread further in slurry applications the following year similar to docks etc.

I don't want to do something thats likely to spread it to other fields it at all possible.

_Brian

PN14 wrote: »

Thanks for info guys it all helps to know what we're trying to deal with.

Does anyone know whether it is harmful to cattle in silage, silage bales, hay etc. Also if some of it was to get into fodder is it likely to be spread further in slurry applications the following year similar to docks etc.

I don't want to do something thats likely to spread it to other fields it at all possible.

http://www.nufarm.com/IE/Whycontrolweedsingrassland

Here its listed under "common weeds known to be poisonous to livestock"