DRY SOWING – Adrian Clarke
- When oversowing to thicken up an existing pasture, we often suggest Hills farmers dry-sow the ryegrass seed in early April. Dry sowing early allows new ryegrass seedlings to compete better with existing pasture species and weeds after opening rains. Even if follow-up rains are delayed after the break, the young, ryegrass seedlings are usually quite resilient and hang on till the next rain event.
- The other bonus is that early dry-sown ryegrass will grow feed sooner to help you build up paddock feed heading into winter, instead of waiting for a knockdown weed spray after opening rains then seeding, when any paddock feed is so valuable.
- Dry oversowing usually involves drilling in annual Italian ryegrass, but some farmers add Victorian perennial ryegrass to help improve the perennial component of paddocks without compromising short-term productivity.
- However dry sowing does not fit every paddock or situation, so contact your local FPAG Agronomist for help in deciding whether dry sowing fits on your farm this autumn.
