Callide Rhodes Grass

Description

A native of Africa, Australia first was introduced to Rhodes grass when it was brought back by soldiers returning from the Boer war in South Africa at the turn of the 20th century. Pastoralists soon worked out that it was ideally suited to balmy Australian conditions, and its use quickly spread throughout the rural community.

Climate: The optimum growing temperature for Rhodes Grasses is in the range of 20-37ºC. Tropical areas that do not experience very cold or frosty Winters will provide the best results.

Sowing: To get the optimum germination from your seed, sow Callide Rhodes when you’re sure to get a good soaking of rain. For the northern parts of Australia to which it’s best suited, this could be anywhere between September and March. Like most subtropical grasses, sowing earlier in this period – around the start of the wet season – is usually considered best, as you’ll have all the rest of the wet season’s rains to capitalise on.

When sowing, the ideal seedbed is one that is both fine grained and firm. The seeds can be sown on top of the soil, or planted just below the surface (less than 20mm deep). The seed will lay dormant until there is sufficient water for germination.

Although Callide Rhodes can be cultivated by itself as a monoculture, it has been found to perform even better when planted in tandem with other sub-tropical grasses. This has been shown to increase pasture production and result in better quality pasture in the long run.

Rainfall: 600mm – 1200mm annually.

Water Requirements: The deep root system allows Rhodes grass the ability to withstand long dry spells of up to 6 months, and up to 15 days of flooding (although extended seasonal waterlogging will kill the plant).

Grazing: When first planting Callide Rhodes, you want to allow it a period of time to really anchor its roots into the ground without being disturbed. It’s recommended that you give the grass up to a year to set itself before grazing. 8-12 months should be enough time for it to get the root system nice and deep, and will hopefully give it a good period of establishing rain to help it along.

Flowering lowers the feeding value of Callide quite dramatically. Once set, you need to keep an eye on your grass, cutting, slashing or grazing it back to keep it at its most nutritious for your stable.

Areas with highly fertile soil and high rainfall are ideal. 600-1200mm of rain per year and temperatures that stay between 20-37 degrees will result in optimal growth.

Callide Rhodes is a tough grass when in its preferred conditions. The roots stretch down as far as 4.5m, meaning that it is able to stand up to heavy grazing without being ripped out, and able to outlast both a lengthy dry spell and temporary flooding

Grazing: Rhodes grass should not be grazed in the first year until the plants and runners are well anchored. This may not occur until rains in autumn. Please ensure you rest the plants to see how well they are anchored before grazing. Rhodes grass is very tolerant to cutting or grazing. The stand should be maintained in a leafy condition by fairly regular cutting/slashing or grazing, as the feeding value declines rapidly with onset of flowering.

Pasture Seed and Animal Health

When purchasing seeds through McKays Grass Seeds, the buyer acknowledges that McKays Grass Seeds is not liable for any animal health issues that may arise from our pasture seeds. It is the buyers responsibility to contact a certified agronomist to ensure they are purchasing the correct seeds, in the correct quantities for their property and animals.