In partnership with Red Hill Cherry Farm and Native Seeds Pty Ltd and supported by the Australian Government’s National Landcare program, the PPWCMA’s Regional Landcare Facilitator is running a trial site using native grasses as a mid-row perennial groundcover to improve management practices such as soil stability, herbicide use and pest management.

The native grass trial site was sown in December 2015 after two mid-rows were cultivated, ripped and sprayed twice over several weeks to reduce the weed load during seed germination.

The trial is using two native grasses in combination to improve groundcover, especially in the winter months when tractor tyres can chew up the annual pasture grasses and weeds and cause problems. Native grasses, being clumping plants will provide better soil stability and can help reduce these problems.

The added benefits of using native grasses is that, being drought tolerant, they can be grown right up to trees and vines without competing for water, especially if dormant species are used during production months.

Under crop herbicide use can be reduced, as can maintenance costs associated with frequent mowing of fast growing annual species.

For more information, read the Incorporating native groundcovers flyer (PDF – 791KB)

 

Learn more

To find out more contact Karen Thomas on 8781 7945, 0427 780 170 or karen.thomas@ppwcma.vic.gov.au.

This project is supported by the PPWCMA, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.