What is the composition of your land? Is it just grass? Or a diverse array of broadleaves (legumes etc)? What percentage of the plot is occupied by weeds (undesirables)? And what about bare soil?
Track the establishment of multi-species sowings, eg herbal, grass species mixes. Are you getting any of those expensive small seeds showing in the sward?

What to record

Record % broadleaves, & grasses, % ‘undesirables’

Make notes: Anything interesting you’ve noticed!

Photos

Equipment

A smartphone (with Sectormentor downloaded)

Quadrat (learn how to make one here)

How to do the test

1. Decide whether you want to test randomly within a block, or repeatedly at the same specific sample site over time (you can use the GPS feature to return to the same place each time).

2. Stand above the quadrat and visually estimate the % cover of broadleaves, grasses, undesirables (and bare soil) each to the nearest 10%.

3. Record the three numbers separately in your Sectormentor app at the relevant location.

4. Take a photo of the quadrat if you haven’t already for future reference!

Resources

http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/bot440/wilsomar/Content/HTM-perarea.htm

Get started with Sectormentor

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