The rainy season is the ideal window to establish new pastures in Brazil. Learn how to prepare the soil, choose the right cultivar, select high-quality seed, and ensure productive, long-lasting forage systems.

The rains have arrived: the most strategic window for pasture establishment

The rainy season in Brazil marks the best time of the year to establish new pastures or renovate degraded areas.
After months of drought, soil moisture returns and creates the perfect conditions for a fast, uniform, and long-lasting establishment of tropical grasses.

At this stage, every technical decision — from soil preparation to seed quality — directly influences the productivity of the coming years. Pastures are perennial crops, and any mistake during establishment will accompany the farm for a long time.

Why the rainy season is the most favorable time

Because it provides exactly what pasture seedlings need to develop successfully:

• Moist soil for fast germination

• Warm temperatures that stimulate initial growth

• Lower risk of establishment failures

• Ideal conditions for root development

In simple terms: it is the period with the highest probability of success.

1. Soil Preparation and Correction: The Foundation of Everything

No pasture succeeds without a correct diagnosis.
A soil analysis must be performed before planting so you can:

• Correct soil acidity (liming)

• Balance base saturation

• Adjust fertility according to the chosen cultivar

A well-prepared soil — leveled, free of clods, and with light surface compaction — ensures:

• Better seed–soil contact

• Faster germination

• Fewer establishment failures

• A more uniform stand

This is where high-quality pasture begins.

2. Weed Control: Ensuring Space for the Forage to Grow

Conventional system

A total burndown before seeding, usually with glyphosate, eliminates early competition and helps achieve a uniform emergence.

No-till system

Weed control must be even more precise, since the mulch layer:

• Reduces operational costs

• Improves water infiltration

• Protects against erosion

• Helps maintain soil moisture

Important reminder:
Perennial pastures often achieve greater longevity when established in well-aerated, structurally sound soils — a frequent advantage of the conventional system in many regions.

3. Seed Quality: The Factor That Changes Everything

Although seed represents a small portion of the total investment, it is the input that most determines pasture performance.

SGM Seeds provides:

• Certified purity

• High vigor

• Full traceability

• Lots stored in cool and dry environments

In practice, this results in:

• Higher germination

• Faster emergence

• Denser, more uniform, and more persistent pastures

High-quality seed is not a cost — it is an investment that guarantees results.

4. Seeding Density and Depth: The Secret to Uniform Establishment

Ideal seeding depth is shallow, but always ensuring firm seed-soil contact.

General rule:
No deeper than twice the size of the seed.

Adjustments by soil type:

• Sandy soils → shallower depth

• Clay soils → slightly deeper placement

Uniformity is essential to avoid:

• Gaps in the stand

• Overcrowded patches

• Excessive competition among seedlings

5. Seed Treatment: Protection at the Most Critical Stage

Seed-treatment technologies — fungicides, insecticides, and biological products — reduce early risks and improve establishment, especially in areas:

• With a history of soil pests

• Prone to diseases in humid periods

• Undergoing renovation of old pastures

Treatment protects the seed precisely when it is most vulnerable.

Conclusion: High-Performance Pastures Begin Before Planting

Productive and long-lasting pastures are the result of:

• Proper soil preparation

• Correct cultivar selection

• High-quality seed

• Well-executed sowing

• Proper post-planting management

Those who plan well, harvest even better — for many years.

SGM Seeds — Those who know us, choose us.