Before renovating or oversowing a paddock, ask yourself the following:

• Do I have an issue with soil acidity?
• Have there been adequate fertiliser applications? Particularly in paddocks with frequent hay/silage cutting.
• Are weeds an issue? Will they outcompete my sown species?

Soil testing will help determine nutrient deficiencies which can be remedied pre-sowing.

In paddocks dominated by weeds, for ultimate success, they should be cleaned up in the year prior using various methods (winter cleaning, cutting for hay, summer crops). Grass weeds will outcompete slow establishing grasses such as phalaris and tall fescue.

When oversowing, only use vigorous plants such as perennial ryegrass, sub clover or a cereal. This is to ensure it can compete with the existing pasture species.

Below, we will look at two oversowing scenarios – high pasture competition vs poor pasture competition.

Scenario One – Likely high competition from annual grass and phalaris

1. Use paraquat after the autumn break to suppress phalaris, kill weeds and then sow. If the phalaris has adequate plant reserves, it will use them to recover.
2. If broadcasting seed, look to increase sowing rates by 25%-50%, remove pasture trash to achieve optimum seed-to-soil contact and tread in with stock post-sowing.

Scenario Two – Not much competition, weeds are sparse, lots of bare ground

1. Can dry oversow (before the break, after mid-March) with discs or tynes that don’t rip up existing plants.
2. If you don’t have a seed drill or a sowing contractor is expensive ($60/ha) =>broadcast seed on the break and use harrows to scratch it in.

Helpful tips:

• Seed-to-soil contact is essential for success. This means sowing deep enough to cover the seed and using press wheels or a roller to compact loose soil over the pasture seed. 5-10mm for clovers, 20-40mm for ryegrass/cereals.
• Sowing too shallow leaves seed vulnerable to a false break.
• Before oversowing, ensure paddock is grazed to 1-2cm height, but still maintain >70% groundcover.
• Monitor pests and weeds regularly after sowing.

For more information:

Oversowing existing pasture

How to water‑up and assess pasture recovery post drought/fire

How do I know if my perennial grasses need rescuing?