How to prevent bur buttercup from taking over your lawn
May 3, 2024, 5:00 AM
Although the seed heads of bur buttercup look soft at first, they will stiffen up as they dry down, making them too dangerous to pull without protecting your hands. (Canva)
(Canva)
SALT LAKE CITY — When you hear the phrase “bur buttercup,” you might think it sounds delightful and completely harmless. However, it can be one of the most rapidly growing lawn weeds.
KSL Greenhouse Host Maria Shilaos noticed that a lot of gardeners are having trouble handling buttercups. She decided to ask Co-host Taun Beddes for some tips on how to prevent it from taking over your lawn.
Maria pointed out that this was the first time she’s seen bur buttercup. Taun explained that it is indeed a buttercup, just not the one that we want.
“The plants germinate usually in early spring when the snow melts off—sometime in early to mid-March—and then they will complete their life cycle by mid-May,” he said.
Although the seed heads look soft at first, they will stiffen up as they dry down, making them too dangerous to pull without protecting your hands.
“If you have bare hands, those stickers from the seed heads stick into your skin, and they may leave a little sliver in there. You can’t garden with bare hands if you have bur buttercup because of how bad the seeds are from the plant,” Taun said.
One way you can prevent bur buttercup from spreading is by putting down a product called Gallery very early in the spring in areas that don’t have edibles. Another option is hoeing them out if the temperatures are in the mid-50s.
The KSL Greenhouse is on every Saturday from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. You can follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and on our website.
