# Getting rid of buttercups - help please.



## sare_bear (24 May 2010)

Hi.

My paddock this year has become over run with buttercups.

I can section my paddock with electric tape to keep horses off sprayed area, but am not sure quite what to use. Does Grazon 90 work? I was going to spot spray as such to at least reduce it. How safe is it to spray on non windy day next to grazing areas. 
Also how long have people left it before moving horses onto sprayed area. I know part depends on type of weed killer used, but have you intentionally left it longer than suggested.

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks.


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## Donkeymad (25 May 2010)

Grazon 90 is designed to treat buttercups amongst the other things it treats. Spot spraying will probably not be terribly effective though as buttercups have underground runners.
Please remember that any poo from a sprayed field cannot be given to farmers or gardeners or spread back on your own fields for a full year. It does work quite well though.

Strictly, Grazon 90 should only be used by Qualified personnel, but lots of places still sell it to all.

I would suggest getting your land tested as buttercups often means the land is acidic and needs lime.


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## RSL (25 May 2010)

My field is covered in them, always has been every year, doesn't seem to cause my horses any harm (i know what it can do) 10yrs down the line and their fine, I dread to think how much it will cost to spray my large field.


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## NeedNewHorse (25 May 2010)

At my old yard they used to just cut the field (when the buttercups were there) with the tractor and they never grew back for the rest of summer or were visible. Not sure about when or if buttercups grow again that year or have any decent information on the matter, I remember we had buttercups then we didn't!!!

x


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## EQUISCENE (25 May 2010)

Grazon 90 is not that effective for getting rid of buttercups, I struggled to clear creeping buttercup with it and last year my local farmer recommended Agritox 50 (MCPA) this got rid of them completely and this year so far the grazing is restored to nice grass! 

Forgot to add that 10ltr of Agritox cost about £40.00 and I only used half of it - much cheaper than Grazon 90.


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## sare_bear (25 May 2010)

Thanks for the replies. 

They are the creeping variety. Sadly it is on a livery, but the paddock I have been given to use, so prob wont go to expense of soil testing, but know that they love acidic soil. 

My horse is a fatty type so every year he is grazed on limited grazing, but my worry now is that he will start eating the buttercups instead of decreasing the appetite!

I have heard of MPCA, but that needs min 2 weeks withdrawal hence me thinking about Grazon. 

DM - I didnt know about the poo? Is that only if organic farming or all types of farming? 

Heidirusso- I had thought about cutting them in the hopes they may not regrow this year and deal with them next year properly if still at this yard, but would be there for ever!! Have to say other horses paddocks dont seem to have them to the same degree,but there paddocks were not rested from the winter whereas mine was as only moved on, so maybe there is something in that.

They are a pain and am limited in the amount I can do with it not being my own land, but would like to keep a healthy horse and am battling between obesity and buttercup toxicity!

Thanks any other experiences or ideas welcome.


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## Alibear (25 May 2010)

Ok so you're on very, get them cut, once dead (unlike Ragwort) they are safe for horses to eat. 
If they come back next year ask for a different filed or again get them cut but as for field to be treated properly before the following year.


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## skint1 (25 May 2010)

We've got them popping up in our horse's field, and she has like a small sore on the side of her mouth, we'd been putting sudocreme on it but as we had the vet out for another reason we asked her about it and she said it was from the buttercups! Thankfully there's enough of the field with no buttercups that she can avoid them.


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## sare_bear (25 May 2010)

Alibear - have got me thinking about strimming them, as most occur is big patches. Would this work or will they regrow very quickly and one will be back to square one in a few weeks time? Once cut short do the horses then graze that area and effectively keep trimming them themselves without becoming toxic?

They are a pain in the a**e. Anyone want my buttercups?


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## daisybe33 (25 May 2010)

I tried grazon on mine and had the field topped butthey are still as bad this year. I'm having my soil tested as I think mine needs lime


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## werp (15 June 2013)

if i treat with lime will that stop them coming up next year?
when is the best time to treat?


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## Rhodders (15 June 2013)

Relay P is the best weed killer for buttercups, you need to spray in late April while they are young and using all their strength to get going.  I sprayed a big chunk of my field in April so now have a big chunk of buttercup free + the rest of the field which is just yellow.  
It really does work but it's too late now really


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## Dry Rot (15 June 2013)

Lime will not stop buttercups.

They need to be sprayed before they flower. If they get a chance to seed, they will just grow back.


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## FfionWinnie (15 June 2013)

MCPA for buttercups. Grazon 90 does not offer good control and if you interpret the label correctly you will see it says "some control" which is a waste of time and money. And yes, it's too late once they have flowered but we are still doing some next week as doing thistles and docks as well.


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## flirtygerty (15 June 2013)

Is it possible to deal with them come autumn, our fields are more buttercups than grass, thank god for good doers


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## Merlin11 (16 June 2013)

We used a weed killer called thrust last year which was recommended on here. It hasn't totally got rid of them but we have a lot less this year. Have just used it again and they are dying off. One of my horses was getting burns on his face from them so need to get rid. Also they stop your grass growing. You need to keep the horses off it for 2 weeks though.


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## tallyho! (16 June 2013)

Dry Rot said:



			Lime will not stop buttercups.

They need to be sprayed before they flower. If they get a chance to seed, they will just grow back.
		
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Also... they have rhizomes which creep away from parent plant to establish new plants so it's hard to get rid of them completely.

Cultivation is best but they will still come back the hardy little things!!!! Get out there with your fork on a hot sunny day  slap on factor 50!!!

MCPA can be used but you need to do it two or three times to properly get rid and allow grass sward to re-establish so don't graze for a few years... if you have that luxury.

We just cut them when in full flower. 

Hate them!!!! At one place... they were so abundant... this is what it looked like... the HORROR!!!!


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## Bennions Field (16 June 2013)

I have just treated with headland polo, working brilliantly  dying off after just 1 week, fertilised at same time as horses have to be off for 2 weeks, may leave a bit longer, but grass a really picking up at last.  Have to put lime on after, soil is acidic, a quick cheap test from local garden centre confirmed, when first half is done I can move onto second, so far used about £5 worth of weed killer on 2 acres, so not v expensive  hole container cost £40, last time got contractor in but had to have the off the whole field so not easy, this is the same bottle of stuff and shud last quite a few times more, it's been 3 years since last done, so should keep them at bay for same again.  Going to use calcifert on for lime, horses can stay on and I can spread with the tractor mower and spreader, so no contractors again helps keep costs down and keeps field in best condition .


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## JillA (16 June 2013)

If you are spot spraying, look for and spray leaves, not flowers. Some clumps of flowers don't have many leaves at the moment and so won't absorb the herbicide, which is why people have poor results with some chemicals. I couldn't get Polo because I mentioned I was using a knapsack so they sold me Kaskara instead. Early days yet but the results don't look too good - I did better with Pierce.


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## Gryfiss (16 June 2013)

Do the horses need to be left off if there topped ? I was told there poisnes when there dieing ? I have loads in my 2 acre patch .


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## FfionWinnie (16 June 2013)

By the way sheep seem to keep them under control as I have none in sheep grazed fields but some in a neighbouring field which was unfenced therefore not grazed earlier in the year.


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## Dry Rot (16 June 2013)

FfionWinnie said:



			By the way sheep seem to keep them under control as I have none in sheep grazed fields but some in a neighbouring field which was unfenced therefore not grazed earlier in the year.
		
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Think I'd rather have the buttercups....


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## ttt (16 June 2013)

Hedland Polo. Fantastic stuff.


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## RutlandH2O (16 June 2013)

JillA said:



			If you are spot spraying, look for and spray leaves, not flowers. Some clumps of flowers don't have many leaves at the moment and so won't absorb the herbicide, which is why people have poor results with some chemicals. I couldn't get Polo because I mentioned I was using a knapsack so they sold me Kaskara instead. Early days yet but the results don't look too good - I did better with Pierce.
		
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I, too, used Kaskara before the buttercups flowered, and I'm so disappointed. It looks like we're growing a crop. We've never had such an infestation. The company from which we bought the chemical rated Kaskara a 5 (5 being the most effective) for killing buttercup. When we read the inside of the label on the bottle, it stated that Kaskara is only moderately 
effective.


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## ramseydog7 (31 July 2013)

Headland polo is really good but you cant use it through a knapsack (legally!) I use Headland Relay instead. It is awesome at controlling buttercups. It will kill them in about 2 days! http://www.agrigem.co.uk/headland-relay-p.html


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## MotherOfChickens (31 July 2013)

I used some Headland Relay to good effect earlier this year. I have also strimmed another section-not sure I would recommend this, the buttercup underneath grew up form underneath within a couple of days.

Chickens (and geese apparently) love the stuff-dig up the juicy bits and eat the flowers and seedheads. I would need alot more chickens to tackle my fields all at once though!


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## flirtygerty (31 July 2013)

My chickens are always in the field, as are the lambs from the moor, neither species were touching our buttercups, resorted to buying a sit on mower and cutting the beggars down, will spray come autumn


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