Buttercups...

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billylula

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Resting one of our paddocks and its full of them. When should have we weedkilled? Too late now? Are they really poisonous? We have them in the current paddock although not so many and the ponies just avoid them. Will strimming them just spread them further?
 
Most weeds can be purged by weedkiller anytime during the active growing season (April til Septemeber) so I wouldn't think it's too late. Basing this on lawn (mine was choked with them last year and still haven't got rid of them all) rather than field, but don't see why that would make a difference.
 
Never found many weedkillers that effective for buttercups TBH.Best way to ensure less of them in future is to address the soil that is supporting them,generally liming will help as I *think* they prefer acidic soil and liming reduces this.

Having said that my paddock has been tested and is pretty much neutral and still have them,although not as many as some it's true.

General land care is the ideal answer of course as good grass sward means less weeds,but this usually easier said than done with horses!!

I usually top them if poss as it does reduce the spread of them by seeding,if can do it early enough.

If it's the creeping kind though think they spread by root so topping won't help with those.

Sorry that not very helpful or optimistic,they are quite a pest to get rid of.Cross grazing with sheep will help,as I believe they are more inclined to eat them and encourage a better grass sward.
 
ive always understood buttercups to grow like strawberry plants spreading across the surface of the field . regular harrowing is the best way of getting rid of them ,but if you cant do that then a weedkiller called pastoral works really well. you might need a pro in to do it for you.
 
I think the best and kindest way to rid your field of buttercups, without getting rid of good meadow herbs is to harrow them to break the creepers and then top them over a few years. This stops them creeping and spreading and will help them dieback. I'm not a fan of widespread use of weed killers, spot spraying yet, blanke spraying no, it's too general and kille too much good stuf, horses like variety IMHO :)

Alternatively get some sheep in :)
 
I had mine limed twice over a few years and the buttercups never got any less. You need a herbicide with dicambar and/or mecaprop, but because they have underground rhizomes they come back, recommended respray is every 3 years. I sprayed mine two years ago and there are now lots there again - I think it must be a good year for them, because the grass is so slow getting way they have had free rein to grow.
 
Thank you. i've had the soil tested and its neutral. looks like the only way is to weedkill every year by the sound of it! If you top them and leave them in the field will they be dangerous for the ponies?
 
I think they are more irritant to muzzles than dangerous? In hay I believe they are ok. They arent dangerous? But I stand corrected if wrong?

I have tons and acid soil. I have sprayed and agree they still seem to blooming well pop up. Will try the harrow next. Was going to lime but as mentioned it seems that doesnt sort out either. I had a bad dock problem and grazoned them and that worked a treat. i then spot spray.

Cure for buttercups I wish?
 
Dried buttercups are okay. I don't have any buttercups in my fields here but I had them in my fields in England and I topped the fields regularly and harrowed. Didn't make any difference tbh long term but at least they were kept under control somewhat. I wouldn't weedkiller for just buttercups.
 
I just looked it up and apparently they can cause diarrhoea when eaten. Dry in fodder no problem. I have lots of them and mine just never eat them.I have the creeping type.

Wish I knew the cure for all weeds.
 
I spray them, otherwise they just take over, I use relay p which also kills the docks and ragwort while i'm at it
 
I would second the use of Relay P. other weed killers I've used were ineffective but this one actually makes a huge difference.
I do mine with knapsack sprayer.
I believe ideally done before they flower and they may need a second go later on in the year if lots of them. I've got as feeling you can do them in spring then autumn of one year, or autumn the spring the following year if some not knocked out by first attack.
they take a while (week or so) before you can really see difference, as apposed to almost instant effect of say Broadsward.

I believe thay can have an irritant effect when eaten fresh.
 
We had a lot of buttercups in our field, but as I have always kept a few geese along with horses they pull buttercups out by roots so my field is now clear of them.
I also dig out by hand any thistles, ragwort or docks so that the good mixed herbage is not destroyed.
 
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