WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix

We recommend our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix for areas south of Perth. It combines Gatton panic and Rhodes grasses for summer growth with Amplify Phalaris for winter feed and Kikuyu for persistence. This is a productive and persistent perennial mix and if allowed to establish and has adequate moisture, it will continue to be productive over summer with good grazing systems. It suits pH 5 or higher and 300mm+ rainfall.

Our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix blends summer-active Finecut Rhodes Grass, Gatton Panic Grass and Kikuyu with Amplify Phalaris, which gives high winter yields. Phalaris tolerates waterlogged and acidic soils and can go summer dormant to survive dry spells, while Kikuyu survives long dry periods and is highly persistent. Sow the mix in spring at 6 to 8 kg/ha.

We recommend sowing our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix at 6 to 8 kg/ha, no deeper than 2cm, into a well-prepared seedbed. Sow in spring once soil temperatures reach 16 to 18°C and rising, with enough soil moisture for establishment, and where practical remove the weed burden first.

A perennial grass mix that includes kikuyu requires careful management for horses because kikuyu contains oxalates, which can bind to calcium in the horse's gut and block its absorption. Kikuyu is also an aggressive, creeping warm-season grass with runners (stolons) that easily form dense mats, choking out desirable companion species—such as temperate grasses and legumes—in a mixed pasture. It is important to actively manage the nutritional gaps using targeted mineral supplements like calcium carbonate to offset the oxalate binding. Keep horses off newly planted pasture for 8 to 10 months, especially on sandy soils, until plants are well anchored, then graze rotationally to prevent overgrazing down to the dirt and to manage the density of the kikuyu runners.

Our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix suits this. Amplify Phalaris tolerates waterlogged and acidic soils and provides winter feed, Kikuyu tolerates some waterlogging, and the summer-active panic and Rhodes grasses add warm-season growth. We recommend the mix on light sands to loams with soil pH 5 or higher (CaCl2), so lime more acidic ground ahead of planting.

We suggest our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix. Kikuyu is mat-forming, spreads by underground stems, holds the soil, suppresses weeds and is very effective for erosion control. The mix is also suited to stabilisation work such as road verges and mine rehabilitation. Give it time to establish with good moisture, keeping stock off for 8 to 10 months.

We recommend keeping stock off our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix for 8 to 10 months especially in sandy soils, until plants are well anchored. This is especially important with horses. After that, use rotational grazing, going in at 25 to 30cm and leaving 12 to 15cm of residue. Do not overgraze over summer, or you risk losing the summer-active grasses.

Our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix is designed for persistence. Kikuyu survives long dry periods and is highly persistent, and Amplify Phalaris can go summer dormant to protect itself. The panic and Rhodes grasses stay productive where soil moisture is available. Good establishment and careful summer grazing are key to keeping the stand productive.

Yes, our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix is suited to grazing, hay. Finecut Rhodes Grass is included for its excellent hay attributes, and Amplify Phalaris adds winter bulk. Kikuyu responds well to nitrogen fertiliser in the warm season. Let the pasture establish fully before cutting it.

They suit different jobs. Our WA Southern Perennial Pasture Mix is a spring-sown blend of perennial panic, Rhodes, phalaris and kikuyu for summer production and ground cover south of Perth, from 300mm+ rainfall on light sands to loams. SouWest Pasture Mix is an autumn-sown ryegrass and clover mix for 500mm+ rainfall on sandy to heavy soils.