NSW Department of Primary Industries

Richmond, Tweed and Upper Clarence

More topics in this section

What and When to Sow

Perennial temperate grass and legume mixes (sow late March to about June)

  • Perennial Ryegrass: Samson, Impact, Bronsyn, Horizon, Meridian, Fitzroy or Avalon.  Sow 8-30 kg/ha (less rye and less N = better legume).
  • Prairie grass: Atom, Grasslands Matua or Tango. Sow 35-60 kg/ha.  (Best sown without ryegrass).
  • Fescue: Jesup MaxP, Dovey, Quantum MaxP or Advance MaxP. Sow up to 25 kg/ha and/or
  • Phalaris: Sirosa/Holdfast - up to 6 kg/ha and/or

Companion legume options:

  • Haifa, Trophy, Will, Osceola or Sustain white clover up to 4 kg/ha and/or
  • Renegade, Claret, Sensation, or Hamua (cowgrass) red clover up to 5 kg/ha and/or
  • Winter active lucerne up to 8 kg/ha (well drained, less acid sites only).

Companion Herbs:

Choice, Commander, or Grouse chicory and/or Tonic plantain suitable for sowing in temperate mixes at up to 2 kg/ha for each species.  

Lucerne (sow March to September)

  • Many varieties available (see Lucerne variety Agfact for further details).  Intensive haymaking and grazing: 15-25 kg/ha.
  • Winter active: Sardi ten, L90, Sardi seven, WL525 HQ, Genesis.
  • Semi-winter dormant: L56, L55, Sardi five.
  • Winter dormant: 54Q53.

Perennial tropical grasses (sow spring to early autumn)

  • Whittet kikuyu (2 kg/ha)
  • Narok/Solander/Splenda setaria (2-5 kg/ha)
  • Gatton panic or Petrie Green Panic (2-5 kg/ha)
  • Callide/Katambora Rhodes (1-2 kg/ha) and/or
  • Bisset creeping bluegrass (1-3 kg/ha).
  • Can also mix with plantain or chicory – see above for companion herbs.  If autumn sown can mix 2 kg/ha Haifa white clover (widely adapted), or up to 2 kg/ha Palestine strawberry clover for less acid poorly drained heavy soil.

Richmond, Tweed and Upper Clarence – Summer Pastures

Options

Rate (kg/ha)

Chocolate / red basaltics, and Tweed hill soils:
Narok, Solander or Splenda setaria     
Callide, Katambora, Finecut or Nemkat rhodes grass           
Gatton or Green panic
Whittet kikuyu (better soils)
Bisset creeping bluegrass (drier sites)

 

1-5
1-2
2-5
1-3
1-3

Plus legume options:
a) Legumes for heavy grazing
Haifa, Huia, NuSiral or Will white clovers
Sunrise or Maku greater lotus (wetter sites)
Shaw creeping vigna (better moisture sites)
Wynn roundleaf cassia (drier sites)
Amarillo or Bolton pintoi peanut (in mixtures)
Cardillo centro
Villomix villose jointvetch

 

1-2
0.5 – 2
0.5 – 2
0.5 – 2
3 -10
2-3
1-3

or

 

b) Twining tropical legumes for lenient grazing
(don’t sow with kikuyu)
Siratro/Aztec atro
Glycine (Tinaroo)
Greenleaf desmodium

 

1-4
2-4
0.5-1

Alluvial soils:
Narok, Solander or Splenda setaria     
Whittet kikuyu
Callide, Katambora, Finecut, or Nemkat rhodes grass

 

2-5
2
1-2

Plus legume options:
Haifa, Huia, NuSiral or Will white clovers
Sunrise or Maku greater lotus
Shaw creeping vigna
Amarillo or Bolton pintoi peanut (in mixtures)

 

1-2
0.5-2
0.5-2
3-10

Shale, sandstone, granite soils:
Katambora, Finecut or Nemkat rhodes grass
Narok or Solander setaria               better
Whittet kikuyu / Callide  rhodes      sites
Bisset creeping bluegrass

 

1-2
1-5
1-2
1-3

or

 

Shale, sandstone, granite soils:
Katambora, Finecut or Nemkat rhodes grass
Narok or Solander setaria               better
Whittet kikuyu / Callide  rhodes      sites
Bisset creeping bluegrass

 

1-2
1-5
1-2
1-3

Plus legume options:
a) Legumes for heavy grazing
Haifa or Huia white clover
Maku or Sunrise greater lotus
Wynn roundleaf cassia
Amarillo or Bolton pintoi peanut (in mixtures)
Villomix villose jointvetch

 

1-2
0.5-2
0.5-2
3-10
1-3

or

 

b)  Twining tropical legumes for lenient grazing
Siratro/Aztec    atro

 

1-2

For further information contact local District Agronomists at Kyogle or Casino.  Local “Pasture and Forage Crop Sowing and Management Guides for Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer for 2007/2008.

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au