Equine pasture seed - Growing Guide
The Sustainable Paddock
Equine Pasture Seed Guide
Handy hints for healthy pasture.
Keep seed dry, seed quality is important for germination. We try to use all Australian Non coated seed from Australian farmer, organic where possible with high germination rates, if seed is coated this will be noted.
Application rate.
This will vary for your own paddock- seed may be sown into additional grasses or on own. Each farm will have its own context and approach to spreading seed. This could be via hand, super spreader, 12V spreader on back of quad bike, or disc seeders.
2-5kg+ /ha with other grasses in paddock or as directed by Pasture Seed label you have purchased.
5-15kg+/ha in bare paddock. Applications may need to be higher where erosion, compaction or poor soil health in paddocks occur.
Key points
We recommend seed coating seed prior to seeding. Its an important step – just seeding with out seed coating will give poor germination results.
This is like “mothers’ milk” for germination strike providing key nutrients.
There are natural commercial products available, or you may like to use liquids like Worm extract, commercial Seaweed that you have at home for garden.
Around 25ml for 5 kg seed, 50ml for 10kg seed 80-100ml for 15-20kg seed.
Sprayed on seed prior to seeding no longer than 12 hours prior to seeding out. This can be done with spray bottle for small amount of seed or a clean garden spray pack. Do not soak the seed, just want it coated.
Examples of products available.
https://www.biocast.com.au We use and recommended this company 5l bottles are available on our website, for larger size please Head to Biocast website to order direct
other https://www.nutri-tech.com.au/products/liquid-fertilisers/premium-liquids/seed-start
Hand broad cast / grass spinner ATV spinner of back / direct drill or seeders.
Grazing
We Recommend a Minimum 6+ week after seeding before grazing new pasture*. This will help with root establishment and plant nutrition. This will also depend on how much water the pasture receives from rain or irrigation, along with soil health and if seed was broad cast or direct drilled.
We recommend not grazing pasture before it is above 25-30cm (mid-calf) and removing horses/ animals from the paddocks at approx. height 10cm (ankle height), re grazing once pasture has recovered to the above.
A Liquid Foliar application for mineral nutrition via plant leaf can be of a huge benefit, especially after the extreme dry or huge wet of past few seasons we have had, where minerals in the soil are limited and not highly plant/ root available at this stage. This can be applied 2-4 times a year as needed (not based on soil tests). if not sure please contact us, but natural biostiumunants and biological enhancers are a good way of stimulating new growth safely, ( smaller amount more frequent rather than large dose at once)
Application 5-10l/product in 100l water sprayed on to pasture, late afternoon- early mornings or just prior to rain.
*Pasture growth -Subject to paddock health, paddock nutrition, heavy weed or undesirable pastures. and soil function. Compaction play a big role in slower growth patterns. we often find horse paddocks are low cycling and compacted leading to heavy weed issues. one lot of seed one season won't be the magic wand you need unfortunately, (if only it was that easy :).
Remember to give paddocks time. There is no paddock the same, environment, soil health, function, and mineral availability this plays a huge roll for ongoing healthy functional pasture.
If you have any further questions or need help, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Happy growing.
X The team, The Sustainable Paddock
www.thesustainablepaddock.com.au
Services offered
Soil Testing Fertilizer recommendation natural organic sustainable
Soil and Pasture assessments Equine Minerals, supplements, and herbs
Grazing Management Custom Mineral supplements programs ( pasture & soil issues)
Sustainable and Natural Farming options
** Rhodes grass seed is a pasture that is slow to establish, a building block to pasture diversity. You will not achieve an instant paddock of Rhodes grass with initial seeding, this is purely to do with the nature of Rhodes grass seed. If paddocks are bare, it is best to combine with in with a lower succession pasture grass mix that will help improve soil health and fertility.