Suited to very fertile, well-drained soils. In favourable conditions the runners spread rapidly, making kikuyu a very suitable species for erosion control. Responds very well to nitrogen fertiliser and irrigation combined with intensive grazing (e.g., strip grazing).
Pastures dominated by kikuyu are unsuitable for horses.
Ryegrass or oats are often direct drilled into established kikuyu to provide a year-round feed supply. White clover or Kenya clover (far North Coast only) are the main companion legumes used, with lotus also used on suitable soil types. Do not use in mixtures of grasses. Sow or plant in spring to early summer or late summer to early autumn, depending on the district.
Growing Conditions
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Soil Type
Widely adapted but prefers fertile, moderately drained, light to medium textured soils and fertilised moist sandy soils. It can tolerate some waterlogging and up to 10 days inundation, as well as moderate salinity levels.
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Sowing Rate
Pure 1-3kg/ha
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Rainfall
600mm+
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pH
5.5 – 7.0 (CaCl2) tolerates pH as low as 4.5
Advantages
- Long term perennial grass
- Lacks growth in cold conditions or frost
- Actively growing in early Spring to late Autumn period
- Capable of high-quality forage if managed correctly
- Highly persistent
- Survives long dry periods
- Responds well to nitrogen fertiliser in warm season
- Tolerant of heavy grazing
- Better frost tolerance than some warm season grasses
- Very effective for erosion control
- Very competitive; suppresses weeds
- Can be oversown with hard seeded annual pasture legumes to bolster winter production