Dreaming of Horsetails

First sight

My allotment partner mentioned the word of a strong herbicide today. I was thrilled. Ever since my first sight of Horsetails I have been unable to get the wonderfully ancient living fossil out of my mind. I know all about them , I have taught about them, I have seen them growing and marvelled at them ,but never before actually had them growing  on one of my allotments . 

This plot is not mine alone as you know. I am not able to decide the fate of the enemy. I have really been lying in bed and wondering how to get rid of   Equisetum Arvense the organic way .

Sneaking up between the raspberries at the bottom of the plot there is no way I can dig down a metre and remove the rhizomes. It didn't help me when my  neighbour 2 plots south told me that horsetails even appeared underground in Coal Mines.  I was not happy that Japanese knotweed had appeared at the end of Queen Street, just below the Fishermans Lookout. I am on Doomwatch with it. But with  the seemingly irrepressible Horsetail there are Chemical herbicide solutions. My neighbour 1 plot south said that Creosote was good. I have been through the shed thinking that Elijah Lynn whose chemicals we inherited ,might just of left a little 25yrs ago. Spouse is a careful hoarder of the could be useful. He is also a wise husband and must have listened to me when I suggested we did a massive clear out when we moved from Kiaora. I have been telling myself that Creosote is the best organic solution. I did Organic Chemistry and seem to recall somewhere that it is a coal tar derivative. Its Illegal now. I have been looking it up,online . No wonder Jeyes Fluid is not as good as it was. I have been thinking of people in Filey I know, who might have a little left judiciously in their sheds. I was working up to asking Bob Hall , a 96yr old retired wood work master who I know from Wednesday Morning Prayer at St Oswalds. You see where this is going. I am dreaming of Horsetails and their irradication from my life, from my mind. 

Until today that is, when my allotment partner, who is Organic, mentioned the beautiful word  GLYPHOSATE.

The view from the taps

My new header is just that , a view from the taps. Colin says its very dull, as headers go, so it will just have a short airing in the cyberworld, whilst I concoct something more pleasing for my very own Waldemar

Januszczak.

Last week Colin surprised me by getting me 2 rolls of hosepiping and all the fittings. My allotment is not near the taps, but all the plumbing is ready to put in place . I had to get permission to run my water line across next doors plot and for it to stay there for those special fill the bath days. Ray the plot holder before Bernard and I,  has passed on to us a piece of land with all mod cons. In each corner of our produce plot is a bath. According to the legend by the taps , one may use hosepipes to fill  water cisterns on even days only. There is clearly a strict regime and rulebook behind the Filey Allotments. I dont think they realise yet that Maverick Margaret has joined them , for I'm sure I'll never know  whether it said odd or even unless standing over the standpipe. Colin will be relieved that I don't need him to walk to and fro carrying cans a furrowlong or how ever an allotment is, might be a chain or a perch. Somewhere in my memory of Cavendish Road Junior School is the fact that 22yards makes 1 chain.I think thats to do with Cricket pitches though.

Sizing of allotments