Direct Seeding

Direct seeding is a valuable tool when it comes to revegetating natural areas.

Seeds cost a fraction of the price compared to nursery grown tube stock seedlings, not to mention, the labour component of planting can be very costly. Directly seeded sites often will have many times more germinations per square meter than is practically achievable with tube stock planting, the roots develop quickly and are unhindered by a pot making them stronger, healthier and they have a greater chance of surviving through summer.

Weeds cause a major problem in revegetation sites as they compete with available nutrients, moisture and sun light, making it difficult to establish native seedlings. We have gathered enough experience and knowledge over the past 10 years of business to see that in some situations weed control is a loosing battle, for every weed that is sprayed five more will replace it and the cost of weed control isn’t diminishing. This is not to say that weed control isn’t important, as we currently maintain a very successful site at Lake Claremont where very few weeds ever get a chance to set seed and a noticeable drop in the seed bank has started, but this does cost a considerable amount.

We are the first company in Perth that we know of proposing to use direct seeding of fast growing colonising native ground cover species to combat and control weeds by suppressing them, giving them no room to germinate. We admit that weeds do cause a significant issue in revegetation sites, especially direct seeded sites, however we want to test our theory that to fight nature you must use nature, not to mention the wider community’s objection to chemical weed control.

Direct seeding involves scarifying the site to create small niches in which the seeds will begin to germinate, with the right species selection and weather conditions these will germinate and grow quickly. As there will be many hundred heads of germination chemical weed control will be risky and not recommended. Weeds will become less of a problem as time goes on once the plants spread out covering all open ground. The idea requires continued reseeding in subsequent years to eventually push out the weed species.

Direct seeded plants