is it too late to spray for buttercups?

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booandellie

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hello all! just after some advice for spraying for buttercups_ they seem to have appeared overnight. the field was covered in them last year and after doing some research discovered it was due to overgrazing, poor soil quality and wet conditions. to get rid of them you need to spray before they flower however it has been too wet to do so. Am i wasting my money if i spray the field now given that horses apparantly don't eat them? also has anyone spread lime to combat buttercups? advice greatly appreciated, thankyou
 
Buttercups are a complete pain. I am about to spray mine in sections this weekend. Its a juggling act to get them sprayed when the weather is good enough to do so as you can't do it when it is raining or windy and by the time you get good conditions they have already flowered. They just need to be sprayed when they are growing well so now shouldn't be a problem. I have never managed to eradicate mine though and I spray every year. I just seem to knock them back a bit. Mind you I am using a knapsack sprayer and either Grazeon or Headland Polo. I'm sure there are tougher sprays that farmers can get hold of that may do a better job.

Before you lime your field get the soil tested. I don't think the Ph of the soil actually has an impact on buttercups and mine are not overgrazed or poor soil. I think you almost need to spray them twice a year, once around now and again in early autumn.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has managed to complete eradicate the darn things.
 
We sprayed last year in full flower not an issue grass recovers wells. We are due to spray this weekend quite late again due to the weather
 
Had 50% of mine done last yr in late May with H/Polo & only a few have come back in 1 paddock that was really bad yr on yr.
Local chap hopefully coming to spray my tiny dieters paddock this weekend (by hand). Its mostly in the shade so not all have got going yet....
 
Yes, the best time to spray them is when they come into flower. I think there was a mistake in an earlier thread. It is ragwort that needs to be sprayed before it flowers!
 
thanks! great to know i'm not the only one trying to get rid of them at the moment and thanks for the advice on getting the soil tested- will look into that for sure. I think simple systems does doil analysis
 
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