# Buttercups



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Customer just called me and asked me to bale his 2 small fields & store his hay for his horses. One of the fields is loaded with buttercups. His horses won't and shouldn't eat them. He doesn't want to spray them. About the only suggestion I had was to cut the field with bush hog hoping the grass will finally take over. 
Am I on the right track or should I do something different?


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Unlikely Buttercups will hurt a horse unless they eat a bunch. They'll just drool and crap a lot and really upset their owner. Buttercups thrive in poor soil conditions so the owner has other issues as well. He's probably been baling the field and has never fertilized it. TSC carries Pasture Pro (just 2,4,D) that says you can spray it while the horses are in the pasture. Generic 2,4,D is just fine but the label is useful to show horse owners. Personally I don't think shreading is the answer. Spray and fertilize for a more lasting solution.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Agree. I also saw that lime is needed. Buttercups like bad soil.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> Agree. I also saw that lime is needed. Buttercups like bad soil.


In Tennessee, Buttercups will excell in rich or poor soil if left unattended. They like closely grazed land the very best here, but disturbing any soil here with no follow up herbicide treatment is a guarantee for a plethoric bloom of buttercup.

Regards, Mike


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

[sup]Buttercup in horse hay is not desireable because of its toxicity factor:[/sup]
http://www.raspberry...nous plants.htm

See the section related to buttercups and horses.

Vincent


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

vhaby said:


> [sup]Buttercup in horse hay is not desireable because of its toxicity factor:[/sup]
> http://www.raspberry...nous plants.htm
> 
> See the section related to buttercups and horses.
> ...


Thank you!!! This is an excelent page to bookmark


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## Richardin52 (Aug 14, 2011)

Buttercups like wet compacted soil. If you overgraze especially in wet conditions you will get buttercups. If you put heavy equipment on wet ground you will also invite them.
I cut hay on a neighbors field that slopes pretty hard. The lower part had drain tile put in some years ago but it is starting to fail. Tires are wet all the time in the lower part now. Every year I see more and more buttercups in that part of the field.
If you see a pasture that has a wet area that cows frequent that area will also always have buttercups.
Spraying is like putting a band-aid on a bullet hole, and will do almost as much good. If you do not want to grow buttercups then make the soil conditions such that the conditions do not favour buttercups, it's just that simple. In other words get rid of the compacted wet soil conditions and forget the band-aid


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