How do you plant forage sorghum?
Like corn, forage sorghum yields increase with narrower rows. Planting should be delayed until soil temperatures reach 65°F at the 2- to 4-inch depth. Planters should be set to place seed at a depth of ¾ to 1¼ inches. Planting too early or too deep are two of the main causes of sorghum stand problems.
How late can you plant sorghum for forage?
These species can be planted up to late June in northern Ohio and mid-July in central and southern Ohio. Forage can be ready for harvest in as little as 40 to 50 days. See image above for Sorghum x sudangrass and teff growth 40 days after planting on June 12.
What is the best way to plant sorghum?
Method of Planting: Plant grain sorghum in rows at a depth of 1 inch in heavy soil and 1 1/2 to 2 inches in sandy soil. Corn planters are probably the most common seeding equipment. It is important to place the seed in moist soil to obtain fast emergence of the seedling.
How much sorghum do you plant per acre?
The optimum seeding rate for grain sorghum is about 10 pounds of seed per acre assuming a seed size of 14,000 seeds per pound and 70 percent emergence. Seed size varies from about 13,000 to 16,000 seeds/pound depending on the hybrid.
How deep can you plant sorghum?
Planting depth Optimum seed placement for sorghum is about 1-2 inches deep. Shallower or deeper planting depths can affect the time between planting and emergence, affecting early-season plant uniformity.
Is sorghum good for cattle?
“Sorghum grain can be utilized in the rations of beef cattle as a replacement for corn.” Sorghum, both grain and forage, is an important feedstuff for livestock.
What is the spacing for 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.
How far apart do you plant sorghum?
What is the best fertilizer for sorghum?
Nitrogen. Nitrogen is the nutrient most often limiting in sorghum production. Under low rainfall conditions with low yield potential, 30 to 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre may be adequate. In productive irrigated situations, up to 200 pounds of nitrogen will be required.
How many bags of sorghum make an acre?
One acre produces 66 90kg bags of sorghum grain, 66kg of sorghum matter and 200kg dry matter. It grows to 1.7m. The variety is suitable for food and fodder.
How deep should sorghum be planted?
Does sorghum need a lot of water?
Although water needs decline slightly after booting, a sorghum crop still requires 2 to 3 inches of water every 10 days. Irrigating during heading and flowering generally produces an increase of 1,200 to 1,500 pounds per acre.
How do you fertilize sorghum?
The use of starter fertilizer at planting can help minimize the effect of low temperatures. Sorghum growers can apply starter fertilizer in band over the row, in the seed furrow, below the seed, on the soil surface to the side of the row or on the side but below the soil surface.
What livestock eats sorghum?
Sorghum silage works well in gestating cow diets. Growing and backgrounding cattle would most likely gain more slowly because of the lower energy content compared to corn silage unless cattle feeders add additional amounts of energy dense feeds such as grains or distillers.
Which soil is best for growing sorghum?
Soils with a clay percentage of between 10 and 30 % are optimal for sorghum production. The climatic requirements for the production of sorghum are divided into temperature, day length and water needs. Sorghum is a warm-weather crop, which requires high temperatures for good germination and growth.
How deep does sorghum need to be planted?
about 1-2 inches deep
Planting depth Optimum seed placement for sorghum is about 1-2 inches deep. Shallower or deeper planting depths can affect the time between planting and emergence, affecting early-season plant uniformity.
Does sorghum put nitrogen in soil?
Nitrogen can be applied at varying times with good results. Sorghum utilizes nitrogen rapidly after the plants reach the five-leaf stage. Applications should be timed such that nitrogen is in place and available for this rapid growth phase, as yield potential is being established at this time.
Does sorghum need phosphorus?
On a per bushel basis, grain sorghum requires a similar amount of most nutrients as corn. If a grower wants to produce a 100-bushel sorghum crop, the grower must support this yield goal with a supply of adequate nutrients, including phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfur and potassium.
How thick do you plant sorghum?
What population do you plant sorghum?
For this application of forage sorghum we recommend a per acre population of about 300- 350,000 plants per acre. Considering seed size and seeds per pound when planting sorghums crops can be beneficial in improving performance and yield.
What is the best forage sorghum to buy?
Buy Alta Seeds AF7202 90-95 Day- AF7201 Forage Sorghum from Alta Seeds is a shorter statured and earlier version of the fuller season BMR 6 forage sorghums. AF7301 108 Day Forage Sorghum Seed from Alta Seeds is a male sterile variety with low starch and very high sugar for great energy. Buy yours here!
Is sorghum an agronomically sound crop?
Forage Sorghum. We offer forage sorghum with maturity ranges from 83 day up to 110 days. Alta offers brachytic dwarf and male sterile products, the brachytic dwarf characteristics make sorghum an agronomically sound crop. (It can stay standing up until harvest.) Energy levels are comparable to corn and protein level is around 10 to 12%.
How long does it take for sorghum to grow?
We offer forage sorghum with maturity ranges from 83 day up to 110 days. Alta offers brachytic dwarf and male sterile products, the brachytic dwarf characteristics make sorghum an agronomically sound crop. (It can stay standing up until harvest.)
Is sorghum a brachytic crop?
Alta offers brachytic dwarf and male sterile products, the brachytic dwarf characteristics make sorghum an agronomically sound crop. (It can stay standing up until harvest.)