How late can you plant forage sorghum

Sorghums are generally sown between May 20 and June 5. The soil should be warm (65 to 70oF) at 4 in. Sorghum seedlings are slow growing, especially in cool soils.

How late can you plant sorghum sudangrass?

Sorghum-sudangrass is a warm-weather cover crop that should be planted after corn-planting dates, between June and July, while the ground is still moist. Soil temperatures should be over 60 degrees F.

Can I plant sorghum in July?

Hybrid Selection. Hybrids suitable for planting from late May through early July must be early enough in maturity to complete dry matter accumulation prior to a killing fall frost. As with corn, there is no industry-wide standard for describing hybrid maturity in grain sorghum.

Can you plant sorghum in the fall?

Sorghum does best when the pH is between 6.0 and 6.8. If lime is necessary to raise the pH, it’s best to do it the fall before planting the crop. … Soil temperatures for planting are more critical than air temperatures. Sorghum does best when planted once soil temperatures warm to between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can I plant sorghum in August?

When planted in early July, sorghum-sudangrasses can produce 3 to 4 tons by early-mid September. Photo credit Troy Walz. If planting in July, warm season annual grasses are good options for forage production.

How long does it take Sudangrass to come up?

Sudangrass is normally planted in late spring when the soil has become warm and exceeds 65º F. When soil temperatures at planting are from 50 to 60º F, sudangrass germination drops to 25-60%, and plants require 14 to 21 days to emerge.

What is the difference between forage sorghum and sorghum sudangrass?

Forage sorghum is best if you are after a single huge silage cut. Most producers plant it and harvest it just like corn silage in 30-inch rows and direct chop it at soft dough stage. … Sorghum-sudan is larger stemmed that sudangrass, making it unsuitable for hay in all but the most arid climates.

Where does sorghum grow best?

Sorghum grows best where summers are quite warm, with daytime temperatures regularly topping 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Sandy soils in warm climates are especially good for growing sorghum because it withstands drought and flooding better than corn does.

Can you plant corn and sorghum together?

Corn and forage sorghum can be combined in the same field in several ways. Some producers mix seed in the same row throughout the field. … The cost of planting corn and sorghum together is similar to planting corn alone, Anderson said.

What animals eat sorghum?

Sorghum is utilized in the beef, swine, dairy and poultry industries. Sorghum grain, stalks and leaves can be utilized in various feed ingredients. Sorghum is the smart choice for animal agriculture for numerous reasons.

Article first time published on

What month do you harvest sorghum?

Sorghum is commonly harvested in the fall. Harvest commonly begins when the moisture content of the sorghum grain is below 20 percent if the crop can be artificially dried or 14 percent if drying equipment is not available.

What can I plant forage in the summer?

To improve forage production during this period of the year, plant a few acres of a summer annual grass such as pearl millet, crabgrass or sorghum x sudangrass hybrids. These forages have the potential to provide a high yielding, high quality pasture or hay field if they are utilized correctly.

How far apart do you plant grain sorghum?

Row spacing varies by region, but the row spacing for grain sorghum that best fits most environments is 30 inches. A 30-inch row spacing provides a good combination of light interception and enough soil volume to provide stored water during short periods of drought.

Will sorghum grow in sandy soil?

Sorghum seed should be generally be planted 1.25 to 1.5 inches deep, depending on soil texture and moisture content. Deeper depth is fine for sandy soils, particularly if soil moisture is very dry. … Therefore, application of residual herbicides at planting is essential in sorghum production.

What is forage sorghum?

Forage sorghum is a large, warm-season, annual grass that is adapted to Pennsylvania and can be grown as a silage crop. … For instance, forage sorghum is cheaper to produce, has comparable yields, but has slightly lower forage quality when compared to corn for silage.

How do you plant sorghum seeds?

After tilling, plant sorghum seeds 1 to 2 inches deep, leaving 10 to 15 inches between plants. Drop three or four seeds into every planting hole. Cover your seeds with soil and then gently water them. After they sprout, thin your seedlings to at least 8 inches apart if necessary.

Is sorghum good for cattle?

Sorghum, both grain and forage, is an important feedstuff for livestock. … Sorghum grain can be utilized in the rations of beef cattle as a replacement for corn. Although, research has shown sor- ghum grain to be comparable to corn in beef finishing diets, the market often values sorghum less than corn.

Can horses eat forage sorghum?

Grain hays comprised of sorghum grass and Johnson grass hay should NOT be fed to horses due to the toxicity levels of these plants. … All classes of Sudan grasses and associated hybrids have toxicity levels that make them unfit for horse feed.

Can cattle graze on sorghum?

One of the strengths of grain sorghum following grain harvest is that the remaining residue, known as stover, serves as a great groundcover during the winter or can be used for grazing or harvested as hay. Sorghum’s high ratio of leaves and palatable stems makes it an excellent choice as feed for cattle.

Does Sudan grass come back every year?

Sorghum-sudangrass is a cross between sorghum and sudangrass. It is a finer stemmed warm season annual grass when compared to forage sorghum and will regrow after each harvest. It can grow up to 15 feet tall and typically has small seed heads.

Can you bale sorghum sudangrass?

Some producers have successfully made high-quality “baleage” from sorghum/sudangrass. The crop is cut and round-baled with net wrap, then individually wrapped in plastic bale bags while at about 50% moisture. This can result in a very palatable and nutritious ensiled feed.

How do you plant sorghum sudangrass?

In early to mid-June, plant the sorghum-sudangrass. Drill at 35 to 40 lb per acre, as deep as 2 inches to reach moist soil. If surface moisture is adequate, broadcasting the seed is an option; however, increase the rate to 45 to 50 lb per acre.

Will sorghum cross pollinate with corn?

Q: Could I plant sorghum in the same area as sweet corn without ruining the corn? A: Though the plants are somewhat similar in appearance, there is no problem planting them together. … The pollen that is interchanged will affect the taste of each of the corn varieties.

Can you drill forage sorghum?

We highly recommend using a planter instead of a drill with some holes taped off, as this does not adequately control the spacing of seeds. Forage sorghum yields can range from 15 to 25 tons/acre. … Target a seeding depth of 1 to 2” deep, placing the seed in adequate moisture for emergence.

Do pheasants eat sorghum?

It’s not that pheasants and quail love to eat sorghum seed. In fact, it’s somewhat the opposite. These game birds as well as most other seed-eating birds aren’t very fond of milo. … For much of the fall and winter, the sorghum grain is insignificant.

How do you raise sorghum?

Planting and Harvesting Tips Like corn, sorghum needs ground that gets full sun and has fertile, well-drained soil. Because sorghum is self-fertile, a large plot is not needed for pollination purposes. Mix a balanced fertilizer into the bed or row before planting. Sorghum needs soil temperature to reach at least 60°F.

Can you plant sorghum with a grain drill?

Today’s planters are extremely accurate. But many farmers still use grain drills or air seeders to plant sorghum, and they need to know how much seed to apply per acre. … Medium to High Yield, Dryland: 70,000 sees per acre (caveat: shorter-season environments may want more seeds per acre to prevent tillering).

How tall does sorghum get?

Grain sorghum grows to about 5 feet and is used for livestock feed, biofuels, pet food and human consumption. Forage sorghum grows 6 to 12 feet tall and produces more dry matter tonnage than grain sorghum. Because of its coarse stem, it’s primarily used for silage.

Will birds eat sorghum?

Milo is a large, reddish round seed, also called sorghum. Because it is large and bulky, it is less expensive than most other types of birdseed, but it is less appealing to most bird species. Very few birds will eat milo, though it is a favorite food for doves, wild turkeys and pheasants.

Do goats like sorghum?

In addition to providing quality forage for the goats and because warm season annuals are tall, they reduce the opportunity for parasite infestation. … Bucks grazing dwarf pearl millet (2011). The first warm season annual we tried in our test pasture was dwarf pearl millet.

How much does it cost to plant an acre of sorghum?

The USDA estimates it will cost $324, on average, to grow an acre of sorghum this year.