One of the biggest challenges when treating the highly invasive plant Field horsetail is controlling infestations growing through hard standing areas such as car parks, pavements, industrial yards, pathways, driveways, and construction compounds. This is a big problem for house builders, local authorities and private landowners across the UK. These locations often restrict the use of certain dedicated horsetail herbicides due to application approvals, site-specific constraints, or operational requirements.
To address this challenge, invasive plants specialists Environment Controls have developed a specialist herbicide formulation mix that provides enhanced horsetail control in hard standing environments where traditional treatment options may not be authorised or practical to apply via conventional knapsack spraying methods.
This new chemical formula provides a more effective treatment of established horsetail emerging through cracks, joints, and surface defects, helping to reduce regrowth and improve long-term control. This remediation solution is particularly beneficial for commercial premises, local authorities, property managers, infrastructure operators, and development sites where maintaining safe and weed-free hard surfaces is essential.
Combined with a professional assessment and ongoing management programmes, this advanced treatment option allows Environment Controls to deliver effective horsetail control in areas that are often difficult to treat using standard methods alone.
Whether you’re a homeowner concerned about horsetail spreading through your garden or a developer managing a site affected by horsetail, professional advice can make all the difference. A tailored horsetail treatment programme such as this will control existing infestations, prevent further spread, and provide a long-term solution.
What is horsetail?
Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is a deep-rooted perennial weed that has existed for millions of years. It spreads through an extensive underground rhizome network that can penetrate several metres below ground level.
Its appearance changes rapidly throughout the growing season and is most recognisable in summer by its hollow stems and fern-like appearance. In spring however it looks very different as its cone-like shoots appear.
Horsetail thrives in gardens, lawns, borders, construction sites, wasteland, commercial landscapes, and disturbed ground.
Unlike many common weeds, horsetail cannot simply be pulled out or dug up successfully. The visible growth above ground is only a small fraction of the plant. What lies below ground is the real problem as its underground rhizome system:
- Can extend several metres deep.
- Produces new shoots from small fragments.
- Spreads laterally across properties and site boundaries.
- Survives many DIY treatment attempts.
This means, much like knotweed and bamboo – even small infestations can rapidly expand if not managed correctly. The experts urge homeowners to have a professional survey carried out before attempting any DIY control options. Construction sites should also have a thorough site survey carried out prior to any works commencing, to avoid issues further down the line.
