Milo/Millet

[deerhunter5555]

What are these two crops? How and when are they usually planted? Do deer use them as a food source as well? Thanks,Erich

[Multidigits]

Good stuff, and yes deer will use them good at times, but so will turkeys, small game and doves.

[perry_max]

Milo is a type of grain sorghum.It kind of looks like corn or sugarcane until it's mature.Then it gets a large seed head.In my experiance,you want to plant it fairly thin.If you plant it to thick it doesn't seem to produce as much seed.The seed is very bitter until it's fully mature,so the deer won't useally eat it up to early.They seem to really like it when the weather starts to get cold.You can useally get it for about 50 cents a lb.

There's several kinds of millet.White,browntop,german foxtail,proso,japanese.Japanese millet is useally planted for ducks in plots that can be flooded.Most of the other types are useally planted for doves and quail.Turkey will feed on the seed too.Deer won't care much about it.Millet will matures in 60 to 90 days after it germinates,so it works real well if something planted early doesn't work out.Millet looks kind of like wheat,rye or oats.Foxtail millet has a foxtail head and the other kinds have a spangle type head,kind of like oats.They all produce lots of small seed.

[deerhunter5555]

What kind of soil or nutritional requirements does milo have? How do you keep the weeds out of it? Can I broadcast seed it or does it require a seed drill?

[perry_max]

It needs a good amount of nitrogen.I'd spred,at least, 200 lbs 10-10-10 per acre.Of course,that won't do anything if the PH(lime)is to low.Weeds won't be a problem in healthy milo,unless you plant it to thin.You want a seed about every 6 inches.Don't over seed,or it won't produce much seed.I've planted this about 10 times and it never seems like I sped enough seed.Every 6 inches works good.I just plow,disc,sped with a atv spredder and disc again.If you run a cultipacker over it it does even better. I'd plant in late May.

[deerhunter5555]

Thanks perry max! This was very helpful!

[deerhunter5555]

How many pounds per acre of milo should I Buy?

[perry_max]

50 lbs per acre should be plenty.Quail Unlimited gives it away sometimes.

[Multidigits]

Planting rates for millet are 5-7 lbs in rows or 15-20 lb. broadcast. Plant after May 1 up to Aug. 1. Variries are German Foxtail and Pearl

For Milo(grain sorgham) it's about the same 6-9 lbs. in rows(4-5 seed per foot). Plant it after May 1 and up to July 1.

Millet needs to be planted no more than 3/4" deep. sorgham can be planted 1 1/2" deep.

[deerhunter5555]

You guys came through for me once again. Thanks a million! Erich