Field maintenance: knapweed, fat hen, dock and buttercup

[L&B]

Hi all,
I rent an almost 3acre plot but at present it's really getting me down...
End of may I separated the field into two and had-sprayed one half whilst the horses grazed the other, then swapped (grazeon pro).

What I CANNOT get on-top of however, is the dock, knapweed, fat hen and buttercup. No amount of spraying/weeding seems to stop this stuff.
My paddocks currently look like wasteland and the grass can't get a chance because these really quick spreading and fast growing weeds are just taking over.

The lady who's field adjoins mine has the odd patch of buttercup, but otherwise, looks really well.
I'm a first time land-renter, so totally novice and could do with all the help I can get - any advice welcome!

 

[Polos Mum]

This year with the dry weather I think the end of May was too late - usually it would be fine but the weeds got going and set to seed earlier than usual - not your fault but unlucky.
You can't spray again until next year - April / May time. Dockstar is one of the only things to really get docks. A mix of Agritox and Depitox will kill most things.

In the interim topping / strimming to stop them going to seed will help. It's a long term thing and will take years and years to sort properly.

Worth a soil sample to see if the land need lime - it's supposed to limit butter cups, only £30-40 and it'll help to know what minerals your horse is eating or not.

At this time of year borrowing sheep is probably you're only quick fix solution

I would also ask the lady next door - and copy what she does if it works on your soil / land

 

[honetpot]

I agree that topping them and collecting the flowers and seed heads will stop it getting worse, if you can get someone to mow the lot or put a couple of sheep on they eat just about every thing. We I bought my land five years ago it was covered in ragwort and docks and now I am down to a bag for life bag of ragwort and a few thistles that I top. One area has never been sprayed, sheep, topping weeds and making sure it gets two doses of Suregrow fertiliser spring and autumn has thickened the grass to the point that most of the weeds there are are smothered.
The quickest way to get rid of the buttercup is get it sprayed at the right time, I tried liming but it didn't have much effect. I use a paddock sprayer company and it costs me about £250 to spray five acres, and it the most effective all types of weed control.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Someone we knew had a small field that was literally covered in docks. He resorted to digging them out by hand, backbreaking work and took a long time.

 

[HashRouge]

I'd also try and borrow sheep. They seem to be very good for weed control!