This provides the highest level of control of these problem weeds, as efficacy is very dependent on the gro To get rid of buttercups in your pasture or hayfield is a two step process; spray to kill the existing buttercups and improve the conditions that favor grass production. Then you can start over, work on making the soil less favorable to them and then replanting grass. This link includes herbicide options for control of buttercups http://weedscience.ca.uky.edu/content/buttercup-speciesButtercups are among several weeds that contain toxins -- in most cases, animals tend to avoid toxic plants unless there is nothing else to eat. You may have to spray the area a couple of consecutive years to get them for good. To remove buttercup we use an application of selective herbicide typically applied from early Spring into early Summer, targeting a growth stage before the buttercups are yet to bud up or flower. JavaScript is disabled. I don't know anything about buttercups. The poor grass growth due to cool dry weather has intensified the problem in 2016. You may have to spray the area a couple of consecutive years to get them for good. I think vinegar is a deterant to a lot of things. If you do have cattle, do part of it, then the other part in a couple of weeks. Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) steals nutrients, sunlight and water from desirable plants and grasses. HOW do I get rid of them in the pasture and not poison Rascal?? For chemical control, herbicides registered for use on grass pastures that contain 2,4-D will effectively control buttercup. Moreover, creeping buttercup may cause pain and inflammation in grazing animals. I had no idea they were poisonous to horses until the farm owner told me. My horse had foundered so i have him in a dry lot and feed him hay but the dry lot has some buttercups which we did treat but havent died yet - he has blisters around his muzzle, and isnt himself. Bulbous Buttercup Identification Bulbous buttercup ( Ranunculus bulbosus ) is a perennial weed prevalent in pastures … Species such as docks, nettles, buttercups and ragwort can often be seen where horses graze. Our agents are extremely helpful. My dad is very picky about how the property looks, plus Thor is allergic to some types of grasses so we try to only have bermuda. Maybe at least if they grow back out they will be in small enough patches they can be pulled up and removed by hand. The second strategy is to use herbicide sprays - the best time to spray for buttercup is late February through early April (while they are young and before they flower/produce seeds). They are easily identified by their yellow flowers. I will get it limed in the mean time. Buttercups can take hold in bare spots in the field. Healthy pastures provide excellent nutrition for horses during the growing season; an abundance of pasture forage can mean you’ll spend less on hay. White vinegar has been used as a green herbicide for a while. Your pasture is acidic and needs an application of lime. http://weedscience.ca.uky.edu/content/buttercup-species. We used it on briars, poison ivy, honeysuckle.....takes a while to see it do it's thing but it works. would it help to mow down the buttercup - on weekends after he finishes his hay i put a grazzing muzzle (which he hates) on him and let him in the other pastures. Seeding your pastures, particularly those bare spots, with a variety of grass that thrives in your area, is the best ways to keep buttercups and other undesirable weeds at bay. I second getting a soil analysis, although that will not solve the problem completely it will help to have a better balanced pasture. TOP TIPS & ADVICE ON GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR PADDOCK. In lawns, you can get rid of the weed using a lawn weedkiller, such as a 2, 4-D-based herbicide. We get a soil test regularly from our extension service (as well as hay and grass analysis, hey it's free knowledge so why not?) If the grass is cut as well as the buttercups, then care must be taken to keep the horses off the pasture to prevent the health problems associated with mown grass (e.g. Employing rotational grazing (moving horses from one small parcel of the pasture to another, leaving them in each area for only a short time so … Most Tennessee producers will label weeds as the most cumbersome problem they face in their pastures. usually horses won't touch buttercups as they are extremely bitter (if the horse is starving they might try to eat them ,but that is probably not your case, *Member of the Quality Free-Choice Hay/Pasture Feeders Society* *In Favor of Turning horses out as long as Possible*. Use them or the Government will think they aren't a necesary agency and they may be gone! I figure I will only worry if she worries. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. For selective control of Buttercup in grassy conditions such as pastures and hayfields, use the herbicide MCP Amine plus an adjuvant (wetting agent) such as Class Act. Buttercup species are tolerant of wet soil conditions, and so are often found in soils that are poorly drained. Sift through the soil and remove any root pieces that broke off, otherwise these will grow into new plants. Fortunately, you can control creeping buttercup using herbicides and other methods. There are worse plants out there though so I count myself lucky its just the occasional buttercup popping up. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The second strategy is to use herbicide sprays - the best time to spray for buttercup is late February through early April (while they are young and before they flower/produce seeds). 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