Problem with swampy ground.

3 posts
Tue, 03/20/2012 - 10:28 #1

Member for

12 years 6 months
tim.featonby@d…
Last seen: 03/20/2012 - 10:28
Joined: 09/23/2011 - 16:27

Problem with swampy ground.

G'day,

I have an area of about an acre that at times gets quite wet.  It tends to wind up underwater for about 3 days about once a month.  I am in the Nowra area NSW.  I have regularly tried sowing Victorian Rye there and it doesnt take well as it dies everytime it floods.  What options do I have to put something in this area that would grow and be suitable for sheep.

cheers

Tim

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Tue, 03/20/2012 - 17:48 #2
charlie
Last seen: 12/26/2018 - 09:21
Joined: 05/31/2011 - 09:44

Hi Tim,

Welcome to Farmstyle and thanks for the question.

Have you thought about trying tall fescue? It is tolerant of moderate levels of salinity, acidity and short periods of flooding. There are two types of tall fescue available, summer and winter active. In your environment use a summer active variety like Resolute. Sow it at 15-20kg/ha, 10-20mm deep. Tall fescue has slow seedling vigour/establishment, especially when compared to ryegrass, so you will need to make sure that it is free of weed competition during establishment.

Include strawberry (Palestine) and white clover (Haifa) with the tall fescue. Both are perennial legumes that will increase the quality of feed on offer. Strawberry clover is particularly tolerant of water logging. Sow both clovers at 1-2kg/ha, ensure they are inoculated prior to sowing to enable nitrogen fixation.

If you require any clarification or further information let me know.

Charlie

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Tue, 03/20/2012 - 21:42 #3
rogermartyn
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 10/20/2011 - 16:16

Hi Tim

There are really no pasture species that cope with water logged soils continously, however there are some that will tolerate  short periods of water logging better than others, so long as they are relatively free draining the rest of the time.

Tall Fescue is one possibility. It enjoys heavier soils anyway and tolerates periods of water logging better than most. Phalaris is another. Both white clover and sub clover grow OK with these while tolerating periods of wet conditions as well.

Another candidate is Yorkshire Fog, that tolerates wet soils better than most, and tolerates acid soils too,  although you may struggle to source its seed commercially as it is generally considered to be a lower quality feed so there's never much demand for it. However be aware of it as every grass has its place.

Kikuyu is also water tolerant. I know Kikuyu grows like a weed in Nowra but of course its winter performance is next to nil and its feed value is questionable, and grazing management very demanding.

One of the reasons that Tall Fescue, Phalaris and Yorkshire Fog tolerate periods of water logging is that their roots get so large and so dense that they effectively hold their own supply of air so that when it gets wet and therefor the roots can respire for a few days while under water. the mass of ryegrass plants roots are very small by comparison. So basically, any pasture plant with these attributes are potential candidates.

For example, Cocksfoot and Praire grass have large root masses but are not as tolerant of wet conditions as those previously mentioned. However, they would be worth trying if the soils are otherwise free draining and you can establish them sufficiently before they encounter a wet spell.

These 'Alternative' pasture species require quite different management to ryegrass pastures. You must establish them early in the Autumn as they take longer to germinate and they also need slightly warmer conditions for germination. They often need more  tickling along with nitrogen during establishment but when they do take off, they need grazing more frequently and timing is everything. If  however, you establish and graze them like you do your rye grass clover swards, you are likely to be dissapointed. Pre sowing weed control, cultivation techniques and fertiliser inputs  are all other important aspects for succesful pasture establishment and these are topics in themselves.

If you decide to run with any of these suggestions, get advice from an experienced agronomist who is familiar with these species.  Since their requirements are so different from ryes, and their requirements are rather unforgiving, you may struggle to find someone.  It is a pity we don't see more of these pastures because when established and grazed correctly, they outperform conventional ryegrass swards in just about every aspect, (total production, drought and wet  production, animal health, and feed value ) but they do require correct management.

If you have any specific questions, share them with us and we'll attempt to answer them.

regards

Roger

 

 

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