Site preparation

From three to six months before planting:

• graze and spray area with glysophate.

• if soils are ‘cloddy’, plough area to improve the quality of the mounds and reduce air pockets.

Rip and mound as deep as possible. Aim to do this when the sub-soil is dry to increase the shattering effect of the ripper. Fence area as soon as possible and reduce large numbers of stock pushing the mounds back down. Remember, your tree line fence will be under greater pressure than normal as it will always look greener on the inside to most stock, so a good quality fence is important.

From four to six weeks prior to planting:

• spray mounds or rip lines with glysophate and a residual herbicide such as simazine, to prevent any weeds germinating for the next six months or so.

The aim of early ground preparation is to capture any moisture that falls in the mound or rip line. Eliminating weeds ensures that this moisture that falls in the ground ready for planting. This enables you to plant even if there has been no major rain prior to this. Ripping and spraying one week before planting is of little benefit.