Seasonal 'to to' list for summer growing perennial grasses in the Ellen Brook catchment of the Perth region.
Extracted from the publication Sustainable Land Management in the Ellen Brook catchment. See Resources below for more information.
Perennial grasses cost more to establish than annual pastures because of increased cost of seed and
the need to reduce stocking in the year of establishment.
1. Early winter - Graze for winter feed.
2. Late winter - Heavily graze to remove the bulk of vegetated material.
3. Mid August - Spray with 2.5 litres of glyphosate (360 g/L), add insecticide for redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea control.
4. Late August - Harrow or cultivate to obtain enough loose soil to form a seedbed. Do not cultivate deeply (< 2.5 cm).
5. Late August/early September - Sow by mixing seed and fertiliser in the fertiliser box of a combine. Set the disc or cultivators to 2.5 cm depth. Remove the hoses and drop the seed and fertilisers onto the surface then lightly harrow to cover the seed. Roll to compact the soil around the seed.
6. Spring/summer - Delay grazing as long as possible.
It is important not to graze in the first summer.
Links:
[1] http://sustainableagriculture.perthregionnrm.com/resource/contact/chittering-landcare-centre
[2] http://sustainableagriculture.perthregionnrm.com/resource/file/pasture-establishment-and-management
[3] http://sustainableagriculture.perthregionnrm.com/library/pastures-fodder-and-tree-crops/sub-tropical-grasses
[4] http://sustainableagriculture.perthregionnrm.com/library/pastures-fodder-and-tree-crops/temperate-perennial-grasses