Good moisture, using strips to establish healthy legumes
In southern Queensland, planting legumes into strips within an existing grass pasture can help manage two of the biggest pasture legume establishment risks: grass competition, and soil moisture. By fallowing and preparing clear strips in a pasture for sowing, producers can reduce grass competition, store moisture in the seedbed and keep the paddock productive ahead of planting.
At Bidson, west of Miles, desmanthus was established into 5m wide strips through an existing buffel pasture which had been affected by pasture dieback.
The strips were fallowed from May 2025 to build stored soil moisture over winter and spring, with weeds and new growth kept down using multiple knock-down sprays and cultivation. In December 2025, desmanthus was planted into the prepared strips ahead of a good rainfall event, creating strong early establishment and a clearly visible strip pattern from the air.
The region experienced many hot summer days following sowing, many days reaching over 40 degrees, however with stored moisture the new desmanthus seedlings were able to withstand the heat and many have grown to good size.
Once new plants have germinated – the months after sowing – it is important to manage grazing. Stock need to be kept out while new plants are fragile and still developing root systems. In the first summer and autumn, it is best to aim for large plants that produce lots of seed before the first frost or dry conditions.
Bidson has not had a good rainy season so far, but in a good season especially with good soil fertility, plants can grow big and not produce any seed by the end of autumn. In this instance, a very light graze could be useful to stress the plants and cause them to go to seed, which is important to ensure that more desmanthus plants will grow the following summer.
Grazing should be avoided when the plants are going to flower and seed, until after the seedpods are filled and opening.
For more information about establishing legumes into grass pastures, check out:
Written by Vanessa Macdonald and Louise Walker from Toowoomba DPI as part of the Queensland Pasture Resilience Program which is a partnership between the Department of Primary Industries, Meat & Livestock Australia and the Australian Government through the MLA Donor Company.