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Direct Seeding Of Trees

Direct seeding establishes trees, shrubs, and understorey plants by sowing seed directly onto the site to be revegetated. Whether sowing by machine or by hand, good site preparation and effective weed control are essential for success.

By Department of Primary Industries - 28th July 2003 - Back to News

Direct seeding is very suited to revegetating large areas for shelterbelts and wildlife habitat; linear sections alongside roads, railways and streams; control of groundwater recharge and erosion; and firewood, fodder crops, and other harvested products.

There are a number of advantages in establishing trees by direct seeding, compared with tubestock planting:

• Direct seeding is much cheaper (10‑20 per cent or less of the cost of planting tubestock), and requires minimal labour.
• Existing farm equipment can be used. Alternatively, several organisations and Landcare groups have direct seeding machines for hire.
• Higher plant density after germination provides better shelter to new seedlings and reduces weed competition. It also allows natural selection to sort out the stronger from the weaker plants without creating gaps to be replanted.
• Plants are able to `self select' suitable establishment sites within the revegetation area, particularly if a mixture of species is sown.
• The plants are usually healthier and have stronger, deeper root systems because they are not transplanted and there is no disturbance to root growth. This enables plants to be more tolerant of stressful conditions such as pest attack and drought.
• Final plant cover is random, and looks more natural than planting.
• Little maintenance is required after plants are established, apart from ongoing weed control for at least the first season.

There are a number of disadvantages of direct seeding, not the least of which is that a large amount of seed is required. So, if only minimal seed is available for a particular species, it may be better to raise seedlings for that species in a nursery. And direct seeding is limited to plants that grow readily from seed.

Because plants are very vulnerable in their early stages of growth, successful direct seeding requires good planning, usually at least a year in advance. Consider the site to be sown, species selection and seed supplies, fencing requirements and, above all, effective weed control prior to sowing.

Timing is also important. Like all treegrowing, ongoing maintenance will enhance success by controlling pests such as invading weeds, redlegged earth mites, caterpillars and grasshoppers, rabbits, and kangaroos. And remember to check that fences remain stockproof.

Although direct seeding is a relatively straightforward process, good planning, preparation and the selection of appropriate species are vital to the success of a direct seeding project.

A number of Landcare Notes on direct seeding are available from your local DPI/DSE office, or the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

WINDBREAKS IMPROVE FARM PROFITABILITY

Windbreaks can deliver significant increases in farm productivity, while also providing environmental benefits, according to a recent report released by AFFA.

Launching a new publication titled Trees for Shelter ‑ A guide to using windbreaks on Australian farms, an AFFA spokesman said Australians are well acquainted with the devastating impacts of drought and flood on agriculture, but strong winds are also a major cause of lost crop and animal production. Research shows windbreaks can not only protect against these losses, but can actually increase productivity and profitability.

Wind can impact on farm production in a wide variety of ways and wind erosion is the most obvious impact of this damage. The widespread impact of drought that contributed to huge dust storms during summer are a graphic reminder of how much topsoil can be lost to wind erosion.

Cold winds during winter are also responsible for losses in animal herds and flocks, while also reducing production levels and increasing feed requirements.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com