Guaranteeing Successful Pasture Renovation
A recent visit by Peter Notman to Western Victoria once again highlighted the keys to successful autumn pasture sowing. Many farmers will struggle to establish new pastures well enough by the end of autumn resulting in a battle to survive a typical wet winter. Apart from a late break or an exceptionally wet winter, the cause of this will be entirely due to the farmer who has total control over the sowing of these paddocks.A good target to aim for is four three weekly grazings from these new pastures by 1st July. To achieve this with the first grazing being seven weeks after sowing, the deadline for sowing is mid March. This year the below average yield of turnip crops has resulted in most crop paddocks being ready for resowing early. By early March there is nothing to be gained by delaying sowing.
As Peter Notman says ".... the seasonal conditions in Western Victoria during March are such that any perennial or annual seed sown in early March will survive an early strike except in the lightest of soils. A delay in sowing will have a marked reduction in first season yields and accentuated pugging problems in winter."
Farmers offer many excuses (not reasons) for not having sown their bare paddocks in early March
- It's too dry
- I'm waiting for the break
- I've done OK with later sowings in other years (that's alright in a dry winter)
- The contractor has let me down
- I'm too busy
- The seed is not purchased yet
- I haven't decided what to do yet
A few key pointers that Peter Notman reiterated were:
- It is essential to have adequate bed preparation. Clods of dirt or root material bigger than a golf ball are unacceptable.
- Remove all weeds with broadleafs or glyphosate before preparation.
- Apply lime if required (up to 5 tonne per hectare on acid soils)
- Ensure adequate soil fertility (up to 60kg P on soils with Olsen P <20).
- Spread seed evenly. Dropping to the surface using a seed box is the most effective.
- Ensure adequate seed is sown (25 to 30kg per hectare of perennials or annuals).
- Roll with a heavy roller to maximise seed soil contact. This allows better and quicker germination to beat competition such as winter grass.
- Effective control of broadleafs with sprays such as Tigrex at 300-400ml per hectare at 5-6 weeks after sowing.
- Aim to graze by 7 weeks or at a maximum of 8cm if pastures pass the pluck test. This is important to maximise pasture establishment.
- Use insecticides to control earth mite and lucerne flea on newly established clover based pastures.
- Use light doses of urea after the first grazing to promote early growth and tillering (20kg N).
Click here to view the rest of the 1999 March newsletter.