How Much Roundup to Kill Creeping Buttercup?

Creeping Buttercup Information

• Creeping buttercup grows well as a groundcover, reaching 8 to 12 inches tall. It grows best in full sun to partial shade, but can tolerate heavy shade and wet soils. Creeping buttercup produces dark green toothed leaves with a shiny sheen and bright yellow flowers, which bloom from mid-spring to late summer. They can emerge in lawns, landscaped areas and in the wild. Creeping buttercup spreads via stems that root through nodes in the ground. Creeping buttercup resists mowing and can resprout quickly when cut, according to the King County, Washington website. Disturbing the soil can also result in an increase in seed germination. If you do decide to manually remove creeping buttercup, do so between fall and spring when the roots won’t break off as easily.

What is Roundup?

• Roundup is a broad-spectrum herbicide containing glyphosate as the active ingredient. Glyphosate was registered for use in the United States in 1974 and is one of the most widely used herbicides, according to the National Pesticide Information Center website. This systemic herbicide is absorbed through the foliage of plants and interferes with the plant’s ability to creating proteins needed for growth. Roundup is available in concentrate and ready-to-use formulas, and is available at department stores and home improvement centers.

Applying Roundup to Creeping Buttercup

• A mixture of 2.66 ounces of Roundup diluted with 1 gallon of water works well as a spot treatment control over creeping buttercup, according to the Thurston County Environmental Health Division website. Adding 1 teaspoon of a nonionic surfactant to the mixture will reduce surface tension and increase the effectiveness of the Roundup herbicide. The best time to apply Roundup to creeping buttercup is when it is actively growing but before the flower has set seed.

Considerations, Precautions and Warnings

• As with any chemical use, you should always adhere to the directions printed on the herbicide label. Since Roundup is a non-selective herbicide, it will kill or injury any plant it encounters. Holding a piece of cardboard over nearby desirable plants or covering them with a plastic tarp will help prevent damage to them when applying Roundup to creeping buttercups. Furthermore, wear protective clothing -- such as rubber gloves and safety glasses -- when using Roundup to help prevent skin and eye irritation caused by the chemical.