Creeping buttercup

[Sandpit Farm]

I have some ground (grassland) that is badly infested with creeping buttercup. It needs to be organic as it is rented and there's an agreement for sharing fodder so no money will change hands. Are there any good ways to weaken the buttercup and allow the grass to outcompete it?

I can spread organic manure - will this help? I cannot spray it without a derogation and it is such a big area, it is unlikely I will get it.

 

[Great In Grass]

Improve the drainage.

 

[upnortheast]

Whats the ph like ?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Sounds like it needs lime . But pasture could be worn out
Pictures would help

 

[Sandpit Farm]

Whats the ph like ?

High pH - nearly 8

It does lie quite heavy really but it is on a slope. I will try to get some pics next time I am over there

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Graze it hard (non selective) and increase the recovery time of the fields

 

[steveR]

I have some ground (grassland) that is badly infested with creeping buttercup. It needs to be organic as it is rented and there's an agreement for sharing fodder so no money will change hands. Are there any good ways to weaken the buttercup and allow the grass to outcompete it?

I can spread organic manure - will this help? I cannot spray it without a derogation and it is such a big area, it is unlikely I will get it.

Hay and silage wont slow the buttercup down much... heavy grazing might.

Spray modest areas every year, and mow those?

 

[Sandpit Farm]

Thanks all.

 

[steveR]

Thanks all.

Keep us posted please...

 

[andybk]

had a field like that got bad because it had a pure red clover stand so couldnt spray , was all set to spray when clover was worn out but we had a severe drought and it killed the lot and it didnt come back , more luck than judgement lol ,

 

[neilo]

If you can't spray it because of organic status, and the stock TFF answer of more lime is obviously tosh, can you chain harrow it....regularly?

I seem to remember someone saying they'd knocked it hard by regularly chain harrowing it. @Dry Rot perhaps?

 

[Samcowman]

What management has it been under so far? Should be the first question.
Sounds like it been grazed tight for sour and suited the buttercups.
If I didn’t know the previous management first choice would be let the grass do it’s thing then mob graze by a decent recovery

 

[Jerry]

Graze it hard (non selective) and increase the recovery time of the fields

what he said.....graze tight, let recover, graze hard....repeat.

 

[Dry Rot]

If you can't spray it because of organic status, and the stock TFF answer of more lime is obviously tosh, can you chain harrow it....regularly?

I seem to remember someone saying they'd knocked it hard by regularly chain harrowing it. @Dry Rot perhaps?

It definitely doesn't like harrowing but I can't say I cured it. But then spraying didn't either.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

☝☝

what he said.....graze tight, let recover, graze hard....repeat.

but must keep 100% groundcover, bare soil is the root cause of undesirables.. combined with grazing too fast, and the selective grazing that causes it

(you need to take them out, without leaving them an opening to come back again)