Great Horsetail requires consistently wet to boggy soil conditions to thrive. It naturally grows in standing water or very moist ground, making it an excellent choice for pond edges, stream banks, or water gardens. It is crucial not to allow the soil to dry out, as this plant is highly intolerant of drought and will quickly decline without adequate moisture.

Pruning Great Horsetail is primarily for aesthetic maintenance and to manage its robust spread. In late autumn or early spring, cut back all sterile green stems to ground level to promote fresh, healthy growth and maintain a tidy appearance. Remove the fertile, brownish spore-bearing stems once they have withered after releasing their spores. This helps control its natural tendency to colonize large areas.

Great Horsetail is most effectively propagated through the division of its extensive rhizome system. This process is best undertaken in spring or autumn. Carefully excavate a section of the underground rhizome, ensuring it has some healthy stems or buds attached. Replant these divisions directly into a consistently moist or boggy location where new growth will readily establish. Spore propagation is less reliable for controlled spread.

When growing Great Horsetail in containers or restricted aquatic environments, repotting or division becomes necessary every one to two years. This prevents the plant from becoming root-bound and helps manage its aggressive growth. Choose a large container, ideally one without drainage holes, or submerge it within a larger water feature. Refresh the growing medium and divide the rhizomes as needed during the spring growing season.