clover

[Clairol]

help i have a field full of clover and buttercups,how can i get rid please and will they harm my ponys

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

Clover won't harm them, not sure about buttercups though

 

[Laafet]

Clover is fine but buttercups are poisonous in large quantities and usually an indicater of very wet land. Also can cause a rash on muzzle as they make the horse hypersensitive.

 

[flyingfeet]

Buttercups are not an indicator of wet land!

Howeever the are often present where the land is overgrazed, poor or poached; as they are able to out compete grass for space.

 

[Laafet]

I was always taught this -

Buttercup - A native perennial common in damp meadows, pastures and gardens throughout the UK. It is the commonest of the buttercups and is an efficient colonist of areas disturbed by man and a troublesome weed of arable land. Creeping buttercup occurs on a wide range of soils but forms large colonies on wet, heavy land . On ridge and furrows, it often occurs in a band along the bottom of the furrows. It can withstand trampling and compaction and is often found in gateways and on paths. It can tolerate both waterlogging and a moderate drought.

http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=3

Sorry but I did study grassland management for my degree.

 

[Tia]

Neither are good for horses - if you spray with Broadsword or a similar product then you should help eradicate them from your pasture....however you need to spray fairly soon. Buttercups are quite tricky to get rid of though - do you know what type of buttercups they are?

Also, your clover, what type of clover is it?

 

[flyingfeet]

I did BSc Hons in Crop Science and did more modules than I wanted to on grassland (I prefer genetic engineering!)

That theory on buttercups can be totally thrown out; as there are tons on them on our land which is dry cotswold brash (and very common in the area). We have epidemic of creeping and meadow buttercup.

However becuase it is dry we do not get the bulbous variety. For horse owners creeping is likely to be the type seen spreading accross the paddocks.

 

[flyingfeet]

Also here's a better link for you (less 'organic'):
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Ranunculus+repens

"The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil"

So therfore would never be an indicator of wet soil per se, but quite capable of growing there.

 

[TURBOBERT]

Dont agree.. Buttercups thrive on wet pasture . Poor drainage is usually the cause. We have them but each spring I do battle with a selective weed killer. The drip drip policy seems to be working. This year I have overseeded the pasture to strengthen the sward. The field is being rested and we hope to take hay - weather willing. Only real way to resolve is to inset new drains - but we certainly are not going to that expense. Horses dont eat buttercups unless there is no grass.

Clover - I believe white can upset their digestive system but red is fine - anyone else know more about that? We 've got lots of that too!!!

 

[flyingfeet]

Buttercups thrive on wet and dry land (see link above!)

Drainage would be an expensive waste of time, as we have heavy levels of buttercups on free draining land.

Have you tried Headland Polo? Most heribicides are not ideal for dealing with creeping buttercup (Grazon 90 etc)

The only other decent non-chemical control method is heavily grazing with sheep as the buttercups cannot reproduce so you start to thin out the seed bank in the soil.

 

[Laafet]

As I said buttercup are usually an indicator of wet land as both link organic or not suggest -
quote your site
Habitat - Wet meadows, pastures, woods, dune slacks etc[19]. A common and rampant weed, avoiding acid soils[19].

Anyway how to deal with them is more important.