How to Stop the Spread of Marestail / Horsetail Spores?

Introducing Amvista Spore Stop, ProGreen’s latest tool in the war against Horsetail.

With warming soils and the recent significant increase in soil moisture due to heavy rainfall, many locations are seeing the emergence of the reproductive growth stage of the hated Mares Tail Weed. This growth is pale brown with a cone-like spore releasing structure at the tip. It emerges separately to the sterile green vegetative growth and can produce hundreds of thousands of spores that spread easily in the wind and germinate quickly in damp soil. The spores have evolved spring like structures which propel them into the wind with the slightest disturbance, manual plucking or destruction invariably results in spore release.

This has meant that while the use of Kurtail Evo can turn the tide against the green growth, this ugly reproductive spike has typically been left unchecked for fear of spreading the spores. If left undisturbed spore release can be reduced, however, with just an accidental nudge while gardening, passing wildlife or heavy rainfall the coiled spring will launch the spores off to colonise new areas, neighbouring properties and reinforce populations being controlled with Kurtail Evo.

That is, until now.

Amvista Spore Stop is a new product developed by ProGreen for the non-pesticidal prevention of Horsetail Weed spore release. Spore Stop seals the spore releasing structure physically preventing their release, reducing the development of new populations and protecting the good work done by Kurtail Evo. A single application of Spore Stop is all that is required to cover the full spore release period. It should be noted however that not all of these reproductive stems emerge together and follow up treatments should be made to also seal these.