Horsetail is one of the prehistoric inhabitants that have developed over millions of years into robust plants that are hardly damaged by environmental influences. They are absolutely hardy in nature. Winter protection is not necessary when caring for the garden. Horsetail in a pot must be overwintered frost-free.
Is horsetail hardy and does it need winter protection?
Horsetail is hardy and does not require winter protection in the garden as its deep rhizomes survive frost undamaged. However, for plants grown in pots, they should be overwintered frost-free and protected from strong winter sun.
Horsetail is hardy
The roots of the horsetail, actually rhizomes, lie very deep in the earth. They reach up to two meters into the ground. Frost doesn't affect the robust plant at all.
Winter protection is not necessary. You should only protect horsetail from strong winter sun.
However, some gardeners recommend covering horsetail on the pond with leaves during very severe frosts. In most cases, horsetail can survive very frosty winters without any winter protection.
Protect horsetail in the pot from frost
The situation is different if you grow horsetail in a pot or bucket. Here the earth freezes very quickly and the plant dies if the winter was very cold.
Overwinter horsetail frost-free by:
- move the pot to a protected corner
- Place on Styrofoam (€7.00 on Amazon) or wood
- cover the bucket with bubble wrap
- Cover the plant with leaves or straw.
Make sure that the horsetail does not dry out completely in winter. If necessary, pour some water into the bucket on frost-free days.
Alternatively, you can bury the bucket in the garden soil in autumn.
Overwinter pond horsetail and winter horsetail
Pond horsetail and winter horsetail are two species of horsetail that are grown in or near the pond. They are absolutely hardy and do not require any winter protection.
The decorative plants cannot tolerate sunlight in winter. Therefore, protect it by placing brushwood or pine branches over the plant to provide shade.
Make sure that the branches are removed in spring, as the falling plant residues increase the nutrient content of the pond water too much.
Tip
Horsetail is an evergreen plant that adds colorful accents to the garden pond, especially in winter. Do not cut horsetail in the fall, wait until spring. Then you can cut back the horsetail or make the plant smaller overall.
