EXCLUSIVE: Horsetail has been on earth since the dinosaurs and expert gardener Peter Dowdall says people always get in touch with him at this time of year and ask how to get rid of it
Image of invasive field horsetail weed in garden (Image: Getty)
Nobody likes a weed infestation in their garden and there is one plant in particular it is almost impossible to get rid of.
The horsetail weed has spent centuries adapting to different climates, weather conditions and soil types and the usual methods of weed removal simply don’t work. That is according to expert gardener Peter Dowdall who has shared his top tips when it comes to horsetail.
He told us it was one of the oldest and “most frustrating plants in gardens” and that it behaves like something that “simply refuses to die”.
“I am asked about it constantly,” Peter, also known as The Irish Gardener, continued. “Every spring and summer, gardeners get in touch with the same question: ‘How do I get rid of it for good?’ The honest answer is simple — you probably do not.”
And speaking about the same mistake people make at this time of year, he revealed: “That is where most people go wrong. The instinct is to fight it. People dig it out, spray it, pour boiling water on it, or try repeated treatments in the hopes it disappears.”
Horsetail growing through cracks in the concrete on an old army barracks site(Image: Japanese Knotweed Ltd)
However, horsetail is not like most garden weeds, it has a deep and extensive root system that reaches far below the surface, and even the smallest fragments left behind can regrow.
According to Peter, the harder you try to get rid of it, the more likely it is that you will actually spread it.
He also said it was “interesting” that gardeners were offering a range of different answers when it came to horsetail, but he insisted that there was no “simple single solution”, despite many of us not wanting to hear this.
Field horsetail sprouting(Image: Catherine McQueen via Getty Images)
However, sharing his own advice, he said: “Some swear by digging it out. Others suggest repeated cutting. Some recommend chemical treatments. But a growing number of people, myself included, take a completely different view and suggest learning to live with it, or even working around it in planting schemes.
“Horsetail thrives in poor, compacted soil with low fertility. Its presence is often a signal rather than just a nuisance. It is telling you something about the conditions in your garden.
“Improving the soil is the long-term solution. This means increasing organic matter, improving structure, and encouraging stronger planting that can compete naturally. Over time, as conditions improve, horsetail becomes less dominant.
“In the short term, repeated cutting or pulling can help weaken it, but it needs to be done consistently. One-off efforts rarely make a difference.”
However, Peter believes one point is often overlooked – people categorising horsetail as just a pesky problem plant. He claimed it was a “remarkable” one.
Peter Dowdall (Image: )
He explained how historically it has been used for a range of purposes including once being required for polishing metal and wood for its high silica content.
Some gardeners still make a form of plant feed or spray from it because they believe it helps strengthen other plants.
Others claim it can be used in herbal remedies and can be made into teas or infusions for health benefits.
However, Peter cautioned: “It is important to say that these uses are widely discussed but should be approached with caution, particularly without proper knowledge or guidance.”
The expert said not everyone sees horsetail as something that needs to be removed at all cost, and he explained how some gardeners incorporate it into a planting scheme, something easier than fighting an endless battle.
And summing up his thoughts about it, Peter, who has worked on Irish gardens for over 30 years, concluded: “There is also something quietly fascinating about it. A plant that has survived for millions of years, adapting through enormous environmental change, is always going to be resilient.
“So if you are battling horsetail this year, you are not alone. But instead of asking how to kill it, it is often more useful to ask what it is telling you, and how you might work with the conditions that allowed it to take hold.”
For more practical garden advice, see Peter Dowdall’s Garden Q&A
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