Crossbow is an excellent choice for killing horsetail weeds because it contains 2 powerful herbicides known to control horsetail weeds. Both 2,4-D and Triclopyr in Crossbow herbicide are effective at killing woody plant species, such as horsetail weed, down to the root. In order to use Crossbow to wipe out horsetail, first, make sure the weed you’re dealing with is horsetail. Then, properly dilute Crossbow concentrate and spray it on the horsetail plants. Allow 7–14 days for the Crossbow to fully kill the horsetail plants.
How Do You Identify Horsetail Weed?
Before spraying any weed killer, make sure the invasive plant you’re dealing with is indeed the common horsetail weed. In order to tell horsetail apart from ferns and other plants, look for the following:
- Green, jointed stalks 4–20 inches (10–50 cm) tall.
- Pine-needle-like leaves that grow in a circle from joints along the central stalk.
- Horsetail stalks are green with brown ring-like joints. Baby pine trees typically have brown stalks.
- A horsetail will grow leaves in a “bottlebrush” or pipe cleaner fashion, rather than the fan shape common to ferns.
Once you know these signs, it’s easy to tell the difference between horsetail and ferns or seedling pines. Once you’re sure you have a horsetail infestation, it’s time to take steps before this invasive weed gets out of hand.
How to Use Crossbow Herbicide to Kill Horsetail
Horsetail is one of the toughest weeds to wipe out. Due to its extensive root network and resistance to many weed killers, getting control of field horsetail can be very frustrating. However, by using Crossbow properly, you can kill horsetail quickly.
Dilute Crossbow Concentrate in Water
Crossbow herbicide is a powerful horsetail killer sold in concentrate form. In order to properly dilute Crossbow, mix 1–5 ounces of Crossbow per gallon of water. In the US, this equals 2–10 tablespoons per gallon. If you are using the metric system, mix 8–40 milliliters of Crossbow concentrate per liter of water.
Spray Crossbow Onto Horsetail
Once your Crossbow is properly mixed, apply it to the horsetail weeds using this sprayer. If you are targeting small horsetail invasions, you can use a handheld spray bottle instead. Make sure to spray the weed killer on the horsetail on a calm day with no rain in the forecast. The Crossbow needs a few hours to penetrate into the horsetail before it can be exposed to rain or water.
Avoid Spraying Other Woody Plants
Crossbow herbicide is a selective herbicide that won’t harm grass. However, Crossbow is deadly to brush, vines, flowers, vegetables, small trees, and broadleaf weeds. When spraying Crossbow on horsetail, make sure to avoid overspraying onto nearby desirable plants. If horsetail has invaded your garden, use a piece of cardboard to shield nearby plants while you are spraying Crossbow on the horsetail.
Do Not Cut the Horsetail
Crossbow works by being absorbed through the leaves of the horsetail plant. Unlike some other herbicides, which work better by being applied to cut horsetail stems, it’s best to apply Crossbow to a growing horsetail weed. This saves you the trouble of having to cut horsetail and dab herbicide on the stems. Don’t mow or cut the horsetail plants after spraying them with Crossbow—it takes time for the herbicide to work through the plant’s system down to the root.
Allow Time for Results
Another big benefit of Crossbow is that it works more quickly than other herbicides used for horsetail. In just 3–5 days you should see the horsetail begin to yellow, wilt, and die. However, it may take up to 14 days for the weeds to fully die. Then, you can pull them up. Wait 30 days between applications of Crossbow. In most cases, a single application is enough to wipe out horsetail weeds.
What is the Best Weed Killer For Horsetail?
Crossbow is one of the best herbicides for killing horsetail available. Non-selective herbicides, such as Roundup, often struggle to kill hardy horsetail. So, a brush-killing product like Crossbow is your best bet.
- Crossbow is one of the best horsetail killers on the market.
- Roundup is less effective at killing horsetail than Crossbow.
- Other brush killers, such as RM43, are sometimes effective at killing horsetail weeds.
Other brush and sedge killers, such as Sedgehammer herbicide, are effective only at killing young horsetail plants (under 6 inches tall). A tough brush control herbicide like RM43 can be effective against horsetail, but Crossbow is our number one choice.
What Weeds Will Crossbow Herbicide Kill?
Crossbow is adept not only at killing horsetail, but various other brush, ivy, and woody plants. Because Crossbow won’t harm grass, it’s great for clearing brush and poison ivy from fencerows and yards. However, it will harm any non-grass plant it is sprayed on.
- Crossbow is useful for killing horsetail, poison ivy, brush, and other non-grassy plants.
- Any non-grassy plant sprayed with Crossbow may be harmed.
- Crossbow does not harm grass.
- Grassy weeds, such as crabgrass, are not killed by Crossbow.
Because Crossbow does not harm grass, it also won’t kill grassy weeds. Crabgrass, Bermuda, and other invasive grasses are not harmed by Crossbow. Although Crossbow is safe to use on your yard, you’ll need a different product in order to wipe out invasive grasses.
Will Crossbow Kill Mare’s Tail Weeds?
Crossbow is an excellent herbicide for wiping out mare’s tail (commonly referred to as horsetail). In order to use Crossbow to kill invasive horsetail:
- Dilute concentrated Crossbow in water.
- Spray the leaves of horsetail plants with the Crossbow/water mix.
- Do not cut or mow the horsetail after spraying—the Crossbow needs time to infiltrate the plant’s system.
- Allow 7–14 days for the Crossbow to fully kill the horsetail plants.
With one application of Crossbow, you can often clear an entire horsetail field. As an added bonus, any grass growing there won’t be harmed by the Crossbow.