Weeds are less of a problem with spring sowing and the ground cover will usually be complete by late December. Later sowings will often need daily watering for seedling establishment. Hot easterly winds in November and December devastate seedling pastures, even on loamy soils so late seeding should be avoided. On swampy ground, autumn is the best time to sow because the ground is too wet to sow in spring. Sow in mid-March to allow the grasses to establish before low soil temperatures retard growth in early winter.
Perennial clovers are less temperature-sensitive than the grasses are when germinating.
They may be sown after the break of the season in late April to early May, provided weeds are controlled. This is a useful practice when reseeding perennial clovers into an old stand of paspalum or kikuyu. Seeding method Graze the paddock off close to the ground. Prepare a fine firm seed bed, with few large clods. One way to do this is to cultivate the paddock 6 to 8 cm deep using a tandem disc cultivator or a scarifier.