Essex,
United Kingdom 
HELP !!
we think we have mares tail ?? it comes up on our drive and i zap it but now we put down meadow grass seed on our front and lo and behold tonnes of this stuff has come up ! is our only hope to turf it to tyr to suppress it ???
i dotn want to walk over the fresh shhoting grass to get this weed its coming up so prolific it makes me wonder if in the damn meadow grass seed !!!
Thanks !
11 Apr, 2011
Answers
It is very hard to eradicate because it is so deep rooted. But in a lawn you will be mowing it regularly, so I would think that eventually it would be discouraged and weakened if nothing else and should eventually give up.
It is very high in silica, for what that's worth, and it used to be used as a remedy for kidney problems and stomach acidity. Not that that's much consolation for having it in the garden though.
11 Apr, 2011
I'm afraid to say marestail thrives on regular mowing!
I've had some in a patch of lawn at the bottom of my garden for 10 years.I mow it weekly and it came back every week.
Last years I let it grow for a couple of weeks and carefully applied Kibosh to it with a sponge and it was dead within 2 weeks.
11 Apr, 2011
If you have marestail there is only one fool proof way of eliminating it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31559373@N00/4757456972/
11 Apr, 2011