Horsetail macerate

Horsetail macerate

Horsetail macerate (Equisetum arvense L., 1753) is a preparation that gives vigor to plants, especially in the horticultural sector. In this sense, horsetail macerate increases the ability of plants against fungal diseases and can be used regularly once every fortnight; this preparation, in fact, is used as a reinforcer and foliar fertilizer, or in the irrigation phase as a root fertilizer.
The properties of horsetail can be extracted by preparing a decoction or macerate.
Below we will see how to prepare the horsetail macerate.

Method –
For the preparation of the horsetail macerate, horsetail plants must be harvested. These plants grow spontaneously on wet wastelands or along the ditches and slopes of ruderal environments.
The procedure requires, for every 10 liters of water, 1 kg of fresh plant or, alternatively, 100 g of dried plant.
At this point this drug should be immersed in a container full of water, taking care to mix 1-2 times a day.
Furthermore, before soaking it, it is advisable to place it in a jute or cloth sack that will act as a filter.
Once prepared, the horsetail macerate gives off an intense and unpleasant smell. To reduce the strong odor, 10-20 g of lithotamnium (calcareous algae flour) or bentonite can be added to the macerate.
The preparation will be ready after a week.
At this point, for use, it is filtered and diluted in the ratio 1:10 (1 liter of macerate per 10 liters of water); this preparation is sprinkled on the plants to strengthen and fertilize the leaves, or it is added to the irrigation water to fertilize the roots.