Setting the paddock up for a good crop of cane – Richard & Jo Prior’s Multi species Cover Crop 2017

CQSHS members Richard & Jo Prior used a multi-species cover crop prior to cane this year to help build soil health and address some of the usual soil constraints found in Mackay district cane paddocks such as poor structure, low soil carbon and low biological function. The mix used included mung beans, jap millet, corn sorghum and sunflowers. Prior to planting the ground had mill mud banded at 150 tonnes /hectare along with lime at 1 tonne. Planted on the 30th December 2016 the crop had 300mm before emergence but still kicked on! They sprayed it out on 28th Feb 2017. Plenty of sun and warmth meant the crop powered away and produced some pretty respectable biomass – above and below ground!