27/09/2026
Capew**d is putting on quite a show across our part of NSW at the moment, including in horse paddocks. 🌼
This post has some useful food for thought about pasture cover and grazing pressure. A local note, though: the soil, pasture and spray advice in it is written for WA, so it’s worth getting advice for your own paddock before applying lime, choosing seed or treating capew**d. A soil test is a good place to start, and always check the herbicide label for horse grazing directions.
Have you noticed more capew**d around this spring?
🌼 Capew**d in WA : What It’s Really Telling You (and How to Get Rid of It for Good)
✨ Capew**d (Arctotheca calendula) isn’t just a w**d — it’s your soil waving a big yellow flag saying “⚠ I’m unbalanced!”
✨ Each rosette hides a story of compacted soil, lost biology, and nutrient imbalance (DPIRD WA, 2024; Hoyle et al., 2016).
🔬 Why Capew**d Loves WA Horse Properties
💨 Acidic, compacted soils: Most WA horse paddocks sit below pH 5.5 (CaCl₂) — perfect for capew**d but toxic to grass roots (Hume et al., 2002).
🧫 Bacterial domination: Hooves + manure destroy fungal networks that perennials need; capew**d thrives in this bacterial soup (Verma et al., 2020).
🐴 Horse habits: Selective grazing + constant traffic = bare patches, compaction, and manure hotspots rich in nitrogen but poor in phosphorus.
🌦️ Seasonal setup: Capew**d germinates within days of the first autumn rain, fills every gap, then seeds before summer — leaving thousands of viable seeds for next year (GRDC, 2022).
🧪 Why It’s a Problem for Horses
⚗ High sugar + nitrate spikes during stress, spraying, or slashing → laminitis risk (Longland & Byrd, 2006).
🧬 Low fibre, unbalanced minerals → gut instability, poor coat, muscle soreness (Harris et al., 2006).
💩 Low calcium : phosphorus ratio → weak bones and hoof quality.
Capew**d = poor forage + hidden metabolic stressor.
🧠 The Science of Getting Rid of Capew**d
1️⃣ Correct the Soil First
Test pH, organic carbon, and phosphorus every 2 years.
Apply ag-lime to lift pH above 6 (CaCl₂); capew**d hates neutral soils (Hume et al., 2002).
Add composted manure, humate, or biochar to rebuild fungal life (Hoyle et al., 2016).
2️⃣ Starve the Seed Bank
Mow or slash before flowering (Sept–Oct).
Spot-spray rosettes early (MCPA or clopyralid) + keep horses off 4–6 weeks post-spray (Bayer Crop Science, 2023).
Reseed immediately with competitive low-NSC grasses; otherwise the bare patch just grows more capew**d next year.
3️⃣ Re-seed with the Right Mix
Use WA-approved, horse-safe blends like
🌾 Irwin Equi First or Bell’s Low NSC Horse Mix — certified seed, suited to rainfall and soil zone.
Target species: Rhodes Grass (Chloris gayana), Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata), Tall Fescue (EF-free).
Add sub-clover or strawberry clover for nitrogen.
Exclude horses until new pasture is ≥ 15 cm tall and rooted.
4️⃣ Rebuild Biology
After spraying, re-introduce microbes with compost extract or biological soil stimulants.
Maintain a fungal : bacterial ratio > 1.0 to favour perennials (Verma et al., 2020).
5️⃣ Manage Grazing Pressure
Rotate horses: short graze (2–4 days) ➜ long rest (25–40 days).
Keep at least 70 % ground cover year-round.
Use a sacrifice paddock or track system for high-traffic zones.
6️⃣ Expect the Long Game
It takes 2–4 years to deplete the seed bank and stabilise soil.
Each year of healthy grass reduces capew**d seeds > 90 % (GRDC, 2022).
🌿 Bonus Tips
🧪 Test soil before autumn reseeding — correct pH before you plant, not after.
💧 Keep troughs clean post-spray; wash off drift and residues.
☀ Never graze horses on wilted, sprayed, or freshly slashed capew**d — sugar and nitrate levels can triple in 48 hours.
⚖️ Key Takeaway
✨ Capew**d doesn’t invade healthy pastures — it fills the gaps left by poor soil, poor grazing, and poor biology.
✨ Fix the soil, reseed smart, rest the land and capew**d simply runs out of excuses to grow. 🌾🐴
If any one is interested I will try and place the link to the PDF in the first comment.
**dControl
📚 References:
Bayer Crop Science. (2023). Capew**d growth physiology under stress.
DPIRD WA. (2024). Capew**d ecology and management in Western Australian pasture systems. Government of WA.
GRDC. (2022). Managing capew**d seed banks in southern farming systems.
Harris, P. A., Ellis, A. D., & Fradinho, M. J. (2006). Fermentation, gas production and colic in horses. Equine Vet J., 38(S36), 26–32.
Hoyle, F. C., Murphy, D. V., & Fillery, I. R. (2016). Microbial dynamics and carbon–nitrogen interactions in sandy soils of SW Australia. Soil Research, 54(3), 231–243.
Hume, I. H., Dolling, P. J., & Porter, W. (2002). Soil pH management in pasture systems of south-west WA. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 40(1), 123–135.
Longland, A. C., & Byrd, B. M. (2006). Pasture non-structural carbohydrates and equine laminitis. Journal of Nutrition, 136(7 Suppl), 2099S–2102S.
Verma, S., Paterson, E., & Murphy, D. V. (2020). Shifts in fungal : bacterial dominance explain w**d resilience in degraded pasture soils. Applied Soil Ecology, 156, 103708.
