Controlling Creeping Buttercups

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by Anne58, Feb 25, 2011.

  1. Anne58

    Anne58 Active Member

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    Location:
    Burnaby, BC
    I have massive amounts of creeping buttercups growing at the back of my property and encroaching on the lawn and garden.

    Does anyone know of a good way to get rid of them besides hand digging which is very time consumming

    Thanks
     
  2. Lysichiton

    Lysichiton Active Member

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    Location:
    Fraser Valley, BC.
    No one responded eh?

    My experience with buttercup (species unspecified) is limited, for me it is a weed among weeds. My soil is well drained & my garden mainly sunny. As I have improved the soil in my beds over the years, the Buttercups have become less aggressive as weeds.
    I have observed, in the Fraser Valley, that poor drainage & heavy soils & moist, sheltered partly shady spots, seem to encourage the growth of Buttercups.

    So, I would suggest that improved drainage, improved soil aeration, more light & better air-flow would be long term solutions. Just digging it up porbably won't work too well if the conditions that encouraged the plants in the first place are not changed.

    Here's a King County link that made sense to me:

    http://www.kingcounty.gov/environme...weeds/weed-identification/tall-buttercup.aspx

    If you want to get confused, look up "Ranunculus" in the eflora of BC site...quite the array of species. A succesful & widespread genus.
     
  3. Sundrop

    Sundrop Well-Known Member

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    Location:
    Kootenays, BC, Canada
    That's a tough one. I am an organic gardener so, if the area is not too big, I would put black plastic (tarp) on top and keep it there for two years to make absolutely sure that all the creeping rhizomes and stolons underneath are dead and decomposed. Since plastic looks ugly I would cover it with wood chips (not Cedar, though). After removing the plastic and sowing there some native to your area grasses and flowers, avoiding those that tend to be invasive, I would use chips as a mulch in the garden and keep an eye on the area to prevent any buttercups that may try to grow from seeds from establishing anew.
     
  4. Barbara Lloyd

    Barbara Lloyd Well-Known Member

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  5. rhodogal

    rhodogal Active Member

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    Location:
    Sidney BC
    My experience with buttercup to truly get rid of it, without chemicals, in a reasonable time frame was to dig it, carefully, to make sure you get all the root. This time of year is easier as the soil is wet & the roots do come out easier.
    I have since put down a thick layer of bark mulch in areas where the buttercup was previous and it has not returned ( after being dug ).
    Maybe start with the outside edge of the area, dig & work to the interior. At least that way you'll have a barrier area so it doesn't spread while you are working at it.
    Good luck!
     
  6. David Payne Terra Nova

    David Payne Terra Nova Active Member

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    Location:
    Port Coquitlam, B.C. Canada
    I'll add a couple of things.

    They indicate water moving through the soil and depleted nitrgen. Try and fix the water problem.

    As for control: for herbicides use Killex (2,4-D Mecoprop and Dicamba) This is the same stuff that we had in the weed and feed for our lawns. The Killex can be spot sprayed just on the problem area, limiting contamination. The Government still allows this product but your municipality may not, so check.
    Canadian Tire still carries it. You don't need a license to apply it.

    For the non-toxic control approach, I recommend you use the new iron based spray called "EcoSense" The industrial version is called "Fiesta".
    EcoSense is sold every-where and is quite popular.

    You will have to do a couple or more applications during a dry period to control the problem.

    It seems to work best on annual weeds. Perennials and clover are tougher to control.
     
  7. Lysichiton

    Lysichiton Active Member

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    Location:
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    David Payne...quit "pumping-iron", please. I am beginning to think you haved a secret agenda :)
     
  8. David Payne Terra Nova

    David Payne Terra Nova Active Member

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    Location:
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    That's funny. I wish I had shares in the patent.

    I do alot of work in Cities with pesticide bans and I have tried
    many many eco friendly control methods.....soaps, acedic acid, burners, manual labour.....
    I had decent results with the iron solution last year. It has been legal since May 2010.

    This year has been quite wet and has hampered spring control programs.

    My agenda is to have other people try it and see what other weeds and possibly invasive plants it might work on.
    I was hoping to have other interested gardeners report back with their field research.

    You know the salesman for the supplier is telling all the Home Depots that it can be used in the rain... He just wants to sell more product.
     
  9. growing4it

    growing4it Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Sadly, hand digging is pretty effective. The results are also very satisfying. Perhaps you could host a buttercup culling party for your friends and offer delicious and thirst quenching rewards for buckets of buttercup bodies.
     
  10. Lysichiton

    Lysichiton Active Member

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    Location:
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    Thanks...your secret is out. If I see this product, I will try it & let you know. I use a variety of weed controls myself & am willing to try another one (before I burn the plkace down with my tiger-torch as my wife says).
     

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