Buttercups: how to manage pasture

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

OK - so our paddock has, and always has had, buttercups which are very evident now at this time of the year.

Horses are on the pasture at the moment, we've tried sheep out there in the past but they just won't stay there, i.e. break out even though there's leccy fencing, don't know why the blessed things do, but they do!

Apparently liming in the autumn is the thing to do? As I gather buttercups thrive on acidic soil??

Had the field professionally sprayed a few years back, did FA good - cost a couple hundred quid and was a total waste of money.

Ideas anyone?

 

[Morag4]

Have a read through this thread.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?18-Buttercups

 

[Micky]

Whoever sprayed it didnt do a good job or didnt use correct weedkiller My field was done 4/5 yrs ago and is still virtually buttercup free...Maybe try and find a pro to spray it for you, though you will have to keep horses off for at least 2 weeks, but it is worth it...

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

My 3 worst ones were done last year and only the odd buttercup to be seen this year, these have been completely covered in previous years with a thick knee high sward

 

[JillA]

I have spent a fortune on sprays over the years, and to be effective you need to do them every three years or so and use a wetting agent with the spray. And yes, mine has been limed - once they are there they don't care what Ph the soil is. They have underground rhizomes, so they just keep coming back. One of my fields was ploughed and reseeded about 10 years ago and it is as bad as the rest now, despite spraying 4 years ago. I wish there was an organic method of control, but I can't find anything - any members of the Soil Association here know how to get rid of the blimmin stuff?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Wetting agent - soapy liquid