Ede, F; Greet, J; Dabal, R; Robertson, D; Smith, R
(University of New England, Armidale, 2018)
Direct seeding is often assumed to be cheaper than planting tube–stock, but limited data exist to compare the relative costs of the two techniques. At four riparian sites in Victoria, we assessed the number of plants established over time in the months after direct seeding or planting. The costs of surviving plants and of weed management were calculated. Plants were 11 times cheaper when established by seeding ($1.88/plant) than when planted ($21.03/plant). Incorporating weed management costs, direct seeding was 1.3–2.4 times more cost–effective than planting tube–stock, although costs were high for both techniques.