Buttercups!!!

[DavidSelf]

I have taken over management of 4 ponies and an 8 acre field that this year is covered in Buttercups... it has been cut for hay for many years and is quite probably very deficient in all respects... I want to cut for haylage and also want to eradicate the yellow peril and return the pasture to good hay/haylage production.... any advice on the best way to do this. The field will not be grazed anymore by the ponies but I might put sheep in if this will help....

 

[Divasmum]

I've always pulled them up but haven't had as many as you have!

 

[Bosworth]

I would get it sprayed with something like Grazon to get rid of them and then in autumn use lime to raise the pH to the correct level. In the meantime get a soil analysis done of the land as I suspect you are missing most vital minerals. The soil analysis will give you the details necessary for future management

 

[Ezme]

Werid isn't it this year! Went to work on sunday having not been for over a month and all the un grazed fields and COVERED in buttercups! lol

 

[sallyellis]

I must agree with Ezme we never had any buttercups until this year but they seem to be taking over. Ours will definately be sprayed in the autumn.

 

[kate081]

They seem to be really bad this year - possibly due to the wet summer last year? I've sprayed mine with Depitox & it's mostly worked. Grazon90 is v expensive to spray over an entire field - it's designed for spot treatment. It will be too late now though so you'll have to do it in the autumn or spring. Buttercups aren't poisonous when dry so won't matter about your hay.

 

[Fazzie]

mine are all covered in buttercups too!! x

 

[DavidSelf]

it would appear that EVERYBODY has this headache this year and agree it seems that two wet seasons has exacerbated the problem.... thanks for the advice everyone....know they are not harmful once dried but field is thick with them..... wouldn't be much hay just dried buttercups....

Have been speaking to local farmers here in Cornwall and consensus of opinion is this: top the current growth to a mulch, spread 2 ton per acre sea sand and our manure mountain over the whole acreage, leave for rain to leach the goodness back into the soil, graze with sheep for a couple of weeks and hope the next growth before september is better.... if this fails then spray in the autumn.....

mind you the upside is that the field looks as pretty as a picture.... am waiting for the Cadbury's Flake girl to appear!!