UKC

Why are there so many buttercups

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 Howard1 08 Jun 2013
Anyone know why there are so many this year particularly in the south
 wintertree 08 Jun 2013
In reply to Howard1:

I don't know but I was thinking the same thing today - lots of the hay meadows in the upland parts of County Durham are awash with them, quite spectacular.
 The Lemming 08 Jun 2013
In reply to Howard1:

To counteract the butter mountain at the EU.

Or councils cutting back on mowing. I am especially loving the wild flowers growing round me as the council are leaving fields of uncut grass to allow wild insects, bees and things to buzz around.
 Rob 08 Jun 2013
In reply to Howard1: I'm told that they do particularly well during a sunny spell following a lot of rain (which we've had!).
 Robert Durran 08 Jun 2013
In reply to Howard1:

Never seen so many bluebells in Scotland too.
In reply to The Lemming:
> (In reply to Howard1)
>
> To counteract the butter mountain at the EU.
>
> Or councils cutting back on mowing. I am especially loving the wild flowers growing round me as the council are leaving fields of uncut grass to allow wild insects, bees and things to buzz around.

+1 i like wild meadows and grassland. The council should stop cutting verges and common land and let the wildness take over.
 liz j 08 Jun 2013
In reply to Howard1:
Because of the weather basically. Last summer was incredibly wet after a dry winter, so the grass was late to start growing then had it's roots waterlogged all summer and into early winter. It then turned very cold, damaging the grass further, and the grass didn't really start to grow until april so the buttercups had a real headstart. Most of the fields with an abundance of buttercups will have been grazed by cattle/horses last summer, and so they will have been poached too, again allowing the buttercups to take hold.
I have never seen so many buttercups in my fields, am hoping to get them topped this week as they aren't great for horses, although they don't seem to eat them, they can cause skin irritations. I think the fields will need spraying for next summer though. Don't worry, there are plenty of buttercups in the hayfields too, which won't cause any problems and so the wildlife will be happy!
 Darron 08 Jun 2013
In reply to Howard1:
It's also been a good year for dandelions and bluebells (albeit a late one)

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