![]() You should, of course, still be careful not to get weed killer on any perennials. The reason is that you can use the stronger stuff at this time of year without harming pollinators or young plants you want to keep. Mid- to late autumn is actually the best time of the year to tackle stubborn weeds, especially if you're gonna bring out the big chemical guns. Weeds will obviously be most active during the summer, but many will grow well into autumn, even after the frosts arrive. When is the best time of year to kill weeds? Chickweed: an important source of pollen in the spring, it’s also edible and tastes much like lettuce. Clover: very important to pollinators, it helps condition your lawn by improving nitrogen levels in the soil.ģ. Dandelion: highly beneficial to pollinators, and the leaves and flowers are edible.Ģ. There might be certain 'weeds' you don't want to eradicate.ġ. So, if they don't bother you too much, consider keeping them to help bees. However, in many cases, hand-puling may well be the best method for getting rid of weeds, and there are some plants that are often classed as weeds, but they're actually hugely beneficial to pollinators and can look quite nice as part of a natural-looking lawn. Of course, if your garden is overgrown and looking untidy, a weed killer may be necessary. The best weed killer on our list is the Mo Bacter Lawn Fertiliser: it conditions your lawn while tackling troublesome weeds. First, find out in advance if there’s likely to be inclement weather within 24 hours of application, and if so, take a rain check, as a downpour will lessen the effectiveness of the treatment. Then, be sure to take care following application to keep children and pets off the lawn for the time recommended by the manufacturer. Consult the herbicide label for further information on grazing restrictions, precautions or other possible limitations.Whatever type you choose, there are a few general guidelines to follow. For the best herbicide activity, wait until daytime air temperatures are greater than 50☏ or 10☌ for two or three consecutive days. For optimum results, apply herbicide in the early spring before flowers are observed and when buttercup plants are still small and actively growing. Herbicides registered for use on grass pastures will effectively control buttercup, including those that include 2,4-D. Mowing fields or clipping plants close to the ground in the early spring before buttercup plants can produce flowers may help reduce the amount of new seed produced, but mowing alone will not totally eliminate seed production. Therefore, pasture management that maintains thick stands and promotes growth of more desirable plants during these months is one of the best methods to help compete against the emergence and growth of this plant. Most buttercup plants emerge from seed during the fall or late winter months. If other forage is available, grazing horses will usually avoid buttercup because the leaves, flowers and stems have a sharp, acrid taste. A review of University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory records over the past 13 years found no cases of horse deaths attributable to buttercup ingestion. Death of horses because of buttercup is rare. Less is known about whether ensiling, or conversion into silage or balage, has a similar detoxification effect. ![]() The blistering agent is detoxified rapidly by drying, and thus it is not generally a problem in hay. Grazing or mowing will release a powerful vesicant, or blistering agent, which causes blistering of the skin, mouth and digestive system on contact. This is one reason buttercups can survive year to year.īuttercups are more than an unsightly weed. Waiting until after flowers appear can be too late to implement control tactics. New seeds are produced during the time petals are showy. Each of these species have somewhat similar flower heads but differ in their leaf characteristics. There are many species of buttercup, including bulbous buttercup ( Ranunculus bulbosus), creeping buttercup ( Ranunculus repens), tall buttercup ( Ranunculus acris) and small flower buttercup ( Ranunculus arbortivus). Buttercups are sometimes classified as short-lived perennials, but often grow as winter annuals. Buttercup is the common name for a group of species from the genus Ranunculus. © Dr Jimmy Henning / University of KentuckyĪt certain times of the year, some pastures tend to explode with the signature yellow buttercup flower.
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