The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Horses, ponies, donkeys & mules => Topic started by: Vinny D on June 24, 2012, 12:07:52 pm
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We have 5 acres and breed falabella mini horses, trouble is buttercups are taking over. How do I get rid of them without killing grass (or horses for that matter). Tried spray (Grazon 90) kills some but can only spray once a year. This year tried topping but the grass is slow coming back but the buttercups have come back quicker. Any help would be most gratefull. Cheers V.
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You are not alone!!! See 'Buttercups' thread in land management. The consensus seems to be liming. to raise the pH of your field spring or autumn. Good luck.
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Yes - creeping buttercup is an indication of acid soil Vinny.
Before you try anything else you need to influence the conditions otherwise they'll just come back and choke everything else out. They are as tenacious as ground elder :( :(
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I have noticed a huge difference in the field where the sheep have been grazing in contrast to the ones that have just had the horses in them. I guess the sheep must be eating them. Don't know if that is much help for you though.
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Thanks for all the info. Good link to the land management thread. We need to apply 2 tons lime per acre as the soil is quite acidic. As we are pretty new to this we had no idea how to look after the land, we just seemed to be sorting out small problems as the arrived rather than preventative action. Thanks again for the help. This is a good source of info for like minded people, first forum I have ever joined.
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I'll take the opportunity to say Hi & welcome to TAS Vinny D from West Scotland :wave:
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"As we are pretty new to this we had no idea how to look after the land, we just seemed to be sorting out small problems as the arrived rather than preventative action"
:D :D
I so identified with this. We have been here three years and are still seem to spend a large part of our time on reactive rather than proactive tasks although we are doing alot of work on the fencing etc. but I would love to get into the proactive pasture management side of things. All we do at the moment is top cut the grass and scythe the thistles once the sheep have moved off each paddock :( . I have fantasies about harrowing, reseeding etc.
Just started liming this year. Same as you - some unimaginable quantity per acre. I am doing one kilo per square metre - with a feed scoop - with the lime in a wheelbarrow........ the road to China starts with a single step and all that :D :D
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Ironically Horse and Hound article today suggested it is the resting period after liming that lets the grass compete rather than the lime itself.
However I think it does have a slow long term effect at reducing them because of their preference for acidic conditions. Not sure there is enough lime in the world to do all of our fields :-))
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I feel that now I am putting the lime on I can be a bit more beastly to the creeping buttercup when it shows its face. It wouldn't have been a fair fight beforehand :D :D
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My wife went on line after a friend had mentioned an 'Agronomist'. We now have to send a soil sample, which will not only find pH level but what other nutrients the soil needs and from that they will draw up a plan of what we need and when we need to do it. Hopefully money spent now will reap the rewards later on. Will keep you posted.
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Hi Vinnie, would be interested to hear how it goes with the soil sample. - Hope you manage to sort everything out!
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Ironically Horse and Hound article today suggested it is the resting period after liming that lets the grass compete rather than the lime itself.
I don't think I can confirm that - we have a magnificent crop of buttercups in what was previously horse pasture and has been ploughed, unsuccessful attempt at growing turnips and cabbages, and then left to itself. There's been no stock on it for 12 months. We didn't reseed with grass as we were interested to see what came up - which is reshy grass, buttercups and dockens. ::)
The section next door has pigs rootling on it, and there are significantly less buttercups and more better grass on that part.
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We have had the results from the agronomist. PH was 5.8 and for grass needs to be about 6.5 - 7 (out of 14), Potash and Phosphate were ok. He recommended that we cut the paddock really low, box and dispose of the cuttings. Then using granulated lime put on 200kg and 1.5 cwt of fertilizer (20/10/10) per acre, leave for 7 - 10 days then spray with Headland Transfer , a selective weed killer. This is the stag we are at now and although we only sprayed on friday the buttercups, docks and nettles are black and withering already. Then in 10 days time we are to chain harrow to loosen the top of the soil and spread new grass seed, a horse and pony mix, roll in and leave for a further 3-4 weeks. Hopefully this will get the job done. Will keep you posted with the results in 5 weeks time.
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how much did they charge you for this info and the soil sample
was he aware you are grazing it with horses just curious as it seams odd to apply fertilizer
normally lime is applied at 2 tons to the acre :farmer:
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The soil was sent to a lab in Reading Berks. Were then visited by agronomist when they recieved the results back from the lab and he had a walk round and gave us the info about the lime etc. We had to lime/fertilize first as there is a 'lag' between them working. Then weedkiller as the grass continues to grow but the weeds are killed. About £80 for test and advice. We had grazed the land quite hard so the ferilizer was a boost for the grass.
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I agree on the fertiliser question - it would be rare for it not to be risky for horses re laminitis risk to use artificial fertiliser, certainly without seeing the effect of the other measures first. Horses are designed to eat 'poor' quality grasses in cattlemens terms, not a green sward.
Not trying to put you off the rest of the measures am concerned about the fertilising. Grazing hard can make grass grow back short sweet and stressed esp if liming etc brings the ph up, so sugars will be higher anyway.
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4 hundredweigh of lime per acre seams a bit on the light side unless he is intending you to apply that yearly fertilizer applied at the seading will only encourage the old grass to grow and chock out the new seedling's i would apply a 15/15/15 fertilizer there is a shift away from nitrogen fertilizer in favour of lime phosphate and potash to give a sweet sward that encourages clover but that is not what you want for horses :farmer:
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The fertilizer is just to encourage regrowththis year. The lime is going to be a yearly thing. He is also telling us to top and chain harrow more often which is why I started the thread about topper flail or mower.