Horsetail tea strengthens plants naturally. We show the benefits, use of the popular broth and how to prepare it correctly.
The field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is a true all-rounder. The horsetail plant is not only used as a plant-strengthening agent. For quite some time, the herb has also offered great benefits in natural medicine, cosmetics, and even in the home. The colloquial name horsetail comes from the fact that tin household appliances used to be cleaned with horsetail. This works so well because of the embedded silica crystals. It is precisely this silicic acid that is responsible for the plant-strengthening effect. There are many descriptions of names such as extract, tea, manure or cold water withdrawal circulating on the Internet. In almost all cases, however, a broth is made from the field horsetail.
Benefits & Effects of Horsetail Broth
The field horsetail is one of the plants with the highest silica content. Silicic acid strengthens the tissue of the plants, making it particularly difficult for fungi to attack the strengthened plants. This is because the fungi usually infect a plant with a fungal spore. This forms an organ similar to a plant root. This means that the spore has to penetrate the leaf tissue in order to be able to feed on the plant. If that doesn't work because the plant tissue is too stubborn, the fungal spores literally starve. But not only for fungi (such as powdery mildew) life is made more difficult. Sucking insects such as aphids also prefer weak plants because the cell walls of the leaves and stems can be pierced much more easily there.
Because horsetail broth does not act directly on the pest, it is very important to use plant broth preventively. Only then does the field horsetail unfold its effect. The preparation is therefore not suitable as a plant protection product for the direct control of an existing fungal infestation. In addition, the field horsetail broth must be poured or sprayed regularly, otherwise the silicic acid content in the leavesfalls again. Every 14 days is a good rhythm for horsetail broth administration.
Tip: A field horsetail broth is completely harmless and therefore particularly suitable for vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes and other plants susceptible to fungi such as roses.
The following products have proven themselves in our garden:
- Field horsetail extract: Plant additive for strong and he althy growth.
- Horsetail herb: gently dried, natural horsetail for the production of broths and manure.
Neudorff 265 horsetail extract, 250 ml€13.49 €8.50Details →
Snoek horsetail extract€7.95Details →
1,000 g Horsetail Field Horsetail Horsetail Tea Horsetail… Details →
Crafting: Prepare Horsetail Manure
If you want to cultivate your own horsetail for an extract, then watch out: The horsetail is one of the most feared weeds in agriculture and is almost impossible to combat. You should therefore be glad if the deep-rooted plant is not growing in your garden. A culture in a pot, on the other hand, is unproblematic with the undemanding herb. If you need field horsetail quickly, you can easily buy dried herb on the Internet. Even ready-made preparations are available. The production of a broth is much more time-saving than a liquid manure. For a starter, simply put the fresh or dried field horsetail in a container of water and soak for 24 hours.
Mixing ratio: 1 kg fresh field horsetail or 150 g dried field horsetail to 10 liters of water.
After the above procedure, the brew has to simmer for another 30 minutes before it is finally ready. Then the brew just has to cool down. For a watering application, coarse sieving of the horsetail stalks is sufficient. If you want to apply the broth with a syringe, we recommend a coffee filter. Otherwise, fine suspended matter can quickly clog the nozzle of the sprayer.
Ready horsetail broth: For use, one part broth should be diluted with 5 parts water (1:5).
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