![]() Don’t overdo it! Chances are, your lawn doesn’t need fertilizer. To give it a boost, apply an organic (look for the OMRI logo), slow-release lawn fertilizer, following the package instructions. Lawns growing in compacted soil and with a thick layer of thatch might not get enough nutrients. Again, spring and fall are the best times for this. If your yard is hard and compacted, try aerating the soil to encourage healthy lawn growth and discourage weeds. Soil compaction also results in unhealthy lawns but perfect conditions for weeds. If your lawn has too much thatch built up, consider scarifying it in spring or fall to remove the thatch. ![]() While some thatch is good, acting as mulch for the grass, too much can create a barrier that prevents air, water, and nutrients from getting to the soil. Over time, a collection of old grass clippings and runners - called thatch - build up in the lawn. ![]() ( Tip: Switch to an electric lawn mower to reduce expensive gasoline use and cut down on emissions!) Scarify your lawn It also encourages the grass to grow sideways, rather than upward, resulting in a denser lawn with less space for weeds to pop up. This means that you’re not cutting off as much of the leaves each time, lessening the shock to the grass and allowing it to remain healthier. Rather than let the grass grow long and then cut it short, stick to a regular mowing schedule. Once you’ve removed all of the buttercups from your lawn, you’ll want to keep them from coming back again next year! Mow regularly Again, avoid spraying nontarget plants if at all possible, and spray during calm weather to keep the chemicals from landing where you don’t want them. This type of herbicide should be diluted per the manufacturer’s instructions and used with a backpack sprayer. You might need to go back through in about six weeks for some follow-up spraying.īackpack spray. If you have a carpet of the bright yellow flowers of buttercups and digging and spot spraying just don’t seem like they’re going to cut it, you might want to try a weedkiller concentrate. Make sure to choose a selective weedkiller, designed to kill weeds but not your lawn, and spray each buttercup plant, taking care to avoid misting nontarget plants (make sure to read the instructions on the label first!). Spot spray. Depending on how many buttercups you’re dealing with (a small area), if you choose to go the herbicide route, a spray bottle of selective weed killer from your local hardware store might do the trick. These chemicals are overused, causing all kinds of soil, water, and related environmental problems. I’ll say it again: please don’t use herbicides as a first-resort solution. If you have a flock of hens, set up a temporary pen or move their coop, if it’s mobile, to the area of concern, and let them do the work for you. While buttercups are toxic to many types of livestock, they are just fine for chickens (and pigs!) to devour. Make sure to remove as much of the roots as possible to prevent re-sprouting!įor larger infestations, try using a digging fork to loosen the soil around all of the buttercups, then go back through and lift them out with your weeding tool. ![]() If you only have a few buttercups or a small patch to deal with, hand pulling is an effective solution, so grab a hand trowel or your favorite weeding tool and dig them out. There are a few different methods for getting rid of buttercups, but I always recommend trying chemical-free options first, to avoid harming non-target plants, pollinators, and other wildlife.Īdditionally, the best time to take action against buttercups and other weeds is before they flower otherwise, you risk letting them reseed before you can remove them. They’re an invasive species that grow in heavy soils with poor drainage in late spring. acris) bloom at the same time as creeping buttercups but have five-lobed leaves and grow about two to three feet tall.Īside from taking over a space (like creeping buttercup) or simply looking unsightly in an otherwise uniform lawn, buttercups are toxic to horses and rabbits, among other grazing pets and livestock. ![]() They also spread aggressively via runners, hence their name. repens) look almost identical but have larger leaves and bloom later, around midspring through midsummer. Bulbous buttercup (R anunculus bulbosus) grows from bulbous roots, called corms, their foliage has three lobes, and they bloom throughout spring.The leaves have three or five deeply toothed lobes, depending on the species. Buttercups ( Ranunculus spp.) are those bright yellow cup-shaped flowers with five shiny petals. ![]()
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