GETTING out early to graze grass was a challenge in 2017 with a lot of on/off grazing early in spring. Paddocks got a hammering in early spring and in a lot of cases have recovered well – however not all paddocks will cope with heavy grazing on wet soils. There is no doubt that grazing some paddocks early will reduce the yield potential of that paddock. However, many farmers are reluctant to take a paddock out for a full reseed. Overseeding has always been an economical way to improve both the perennial ryegrass content and tetraploids content of swards, where reseeding is not fully warranted. Overseeding is the planting of grass seed directly into existing turf, without tearing up the turf, or the soil. It’s an easy way to fill in bare spots, improve the density of turf and establish improved grass varieties.

Overseeding is an excellent way to improve grassland that may have been damaged by poaching, has gone thin, but is still perennial ryegrass dominated.