Bermuda grass, with a bright green/purple tipped blade, has consistently proven to be one of the best perennial grasses for irrigated summer pastures in Australia. More recently, it is being used as a source of green forage and hay. It is also a chosen variety for turfing sports fields. Speedie Bermuda Grass has been dehulled and will germinate a little quicker than the normal unhulled Bermuda Grass. Coated and treated with Gaucho.
Key attributes
- Extensive root system survives drought and waterlogging
- Self-repairing: stolons and rhizomes fill in bare patches
- Tolerates more alkaline conditions
- Suited where soluble salts in water restrict other crops
- A practical choice for small pasture plots with a few horses or cattle
- Can be pastured from mid-October until frost time in May
About this variety
Bermuda Couch has an extensive root system, giving it the best chance of surviving tough drought conditions. Due to the make-up of the roots, extended periods of drought or waterlogging can be survived. It has runners that spread both above ground (called stolons) and below ground (rhizomes). This makes the grass great at self-repairing, and any bare patches that you may have from your initial sowing of seed will, more often than not, be quickly filled in without any need for a second sow.
It performs best in soils with moderate acidity but tolerates more alkaline conditions. It is suited for commercial pasture or hay production in areas where total soluble salts in water tend to restrict production of other crops. Bermuda grasses are also a practical choice for small pasture plots where a homeowner wants to keep one or two horses and/or pasture a few head of cattle.
In the irrigated areas of WA, Bermuda grasses normally can be pastured from mid-October and harvested until frost time in May. Hay yields run from 11 to 22 tonnes per hectare a season harvested in about 6 cuttings. When properly fertilised, irrigated and harvested, Bermuda grass hay has a feeding value about equal to alfalfa hay in terms of total digestible nutrient, but has less digestible protein. Bermuda grasses are heavy and efficient users of nitrogen, and Bermuda grass does not tolerate shade well.
It is very vigorous and competitive and can strangle out other pastures. In the irrigated areas of WA, over the seven-month grazing period a planting generally can carry four horses, eight head of beef cattle, or six cows and calves per hectare. Growing cattle will gain about ½ a kilo per day if no additional feed is provided.
Planting & grazing notes
Sow when soil temperatures are above 18°C; ideal planting time is from mid-October to December. When drilling, it is best to plant in a dry seedbed and irrigate up, unless the soil is disked first to kill germinated weed seed. Do not plant too deep. It is good practice to apply a light irrigation 3 to 5 days following the initial irrigation (or after planting in a moist seedbed). This keeps the soil from crusting and the seed moist. Soil must remain damp throughout the germination period and for at least 1-2 weeks after sowing, through irrigation or natural rainfall. It will be about 90 days from planting until first harvest; do not mow or graze closer than 4cm during the first 2 or 3 harvests. Some form of strip grazing is recommended, and after irrigation the topsoil should have time to dry before stock is put back on. When grazing Bermuda grass, try to keep it under 15cm in height, cutting excess growth for green chop or hay. Bermuda grasses are heavy users of nitrogen: 200 to 300 kg of actual nitrogen per hectare a year is the normal recommendation, applied in 3 to 4 even applications from early November, as the grass begins to turn green, to late April/early May. As an irrigation guide during the growing season, use local evaporation figures plus 30–75% weekly; on sand this may be as high as 50–75% above evaporation.
Stand life
As a warm climate grass it can lose its colour and become dormant over winter, particularly when exposed to frosts. It may go into summer dormancy after prolonged drought, but it survives with an intact surface which will green up rapidly whenever rain falls.
How it's sold
| Form | Pack | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Coated | 25 kg | In stock |