Foggy's Deertopia Proving Grounds - Happenings

[Tree Spud]

That is helpful info on the Hard Stalks of the Sorghum. Lots of varieties and different series to know about. Just came from looking for a comparative source of these varieties. I do wish some of that Milo would grow a bit higher. Considering a mix of varieties to get the best of both worlds. (height, winter standablity, and food).

Regular sorghum gets to about 4'-5' depending on growing conditions. WGF sorghum only gets to about 2-3'.

You may want to consider a mix of sorghum sudan, mile, and sorghum.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

There is a difference between sorghum and sorghum sudan grass. Sorhgum has a much sturdier & hard stalk. Like corn it will withstand heavy rain & wind and snow. Sorghum sudan grass just doesn't have the stalk strength to with stand rain, wind, & snow especially at the end of it's growing season.

I plant sorghum sudan as an early season screen, but mostly for it's organic matter addition to the soil.

I learned something here. I thought sorghum-sudan was a hybrid type of sorghum. Different type of plant, I see now. We never planted that stuff. Thanks for the info, Spud!!

 

[Foggy47]

Regular sorghum gets to about 4'-5' depending on growing conditions. WGF sorghum only gets to about 2-3'.

You may want to consider a mix of sorghum sudan, mile, and sorghum.

Thanks for this info on a somewhat confusing product name(s) and traits. Seems to me planting WGF GRAIN Sorghum (also called Milo) would be the bulk of what I want to plant (75 % ?)....which would supply late season and winter food.

Then perhaps......add the 25% balance in BML Series 6 Dwarf Forage Sorghum to add some better height for security and screening effects.....yet keep some "standablity" in cold weather. Stay away from the high and "whimpy" stalks.

Sounds like it does not like competition tho.....so I need to start with a nuked seed bed. Then it should be fast growing and come in solid before my clover attempts to take over again? Sound right?

Anyone have some experience?.....or a blend to share....or anyone planted into a clover plot? <---hoping to get the needed nitrogen from that clover.......and to plant some two-pass strips with my drill.

 

[NorthWI]

Thanks for this info on a somewhat confusing product name(s) and traits. Seems to me planting WGF GRAIN Sorghum (also called Milo) would be the bulk of what I want to plant (75 % ?)....which would supply late season and winter food.

Then perhaps......add the 25% balance in BML Series 6 Dwarf Forage Sorghum to add some better height for security and screening effects.....yet keep some "standablity" in cold weather. Stay away from the high and "whimpy" stalks.

Sounds like it does not like competition tho.....so I need to start with a nuked seed bed. Then it should be fast growing and come in solid before my clover attempts to take over again? Sound right?

Anyone have some experience?.....or a blend to share....or anyone planted into a clover plot? <---hoping to get the needed nitrogen from that clover.......and to plant some two-pass strips with my drill.

I planted this strip by discing clover. I did not nuke it. It was a blend from deercreek seed, think it was Buck and Birds. I don't believe they have the same mix anymore but similar options.

 

[Foggy47]

I planted this strip by discing clover. I did not nuke it. It was a blend from deercreek seed, think it was Buck and Birds. I don't believe they have the same mix anymore but similar options.

That looks ALLOT like what I am planning to do. Thanks for the visual.

 

[goatman]

I've planted milo for a few years and like it very much. This year herbicide didn't work very well with no rain. The milo did just fine with the foxtail. That said I don't over plant either. With a over population of coons milo is the only option. I'm done trying corn.

 

[Tree Spud]

Thanks for this info on a somewhat confusing product name(s) and traits. Seems to me planting WGF GRAIN Sorghum (also called Milo) would be the bulk of what I want to plant (75 % ?)....which would supply late season and winter food.

Then perhaps......add the 25% balance in BML Series 6 Dwarf Forage Sorghum to add some better height for security and screening effects.....yet keep some "standablity" in cold weather. Stay away from the high and "whimpy" stalks.

Sounds like it does not like competition tho.....so I need to start with a nuked seed bed. Then it should be fast growing and come in solid before my clover attempts to take over again? Sound right?

Anyone have some experience?.....or a blend to share....or anyone planted into a clover plot? <---hoping to get the needed nitrogen from that clover.......and to plant some two-pass strips with my drill.

Just remember on milo or sorghums, birds can go crazy on the seeds. On the clover, my 2nd & 3rd year regrowth gets really thick and always makes it hard to get other crops to flourish. I nuked all of my clover this year to avoid that, then the grasses (foxtail, etc.) took over. LOL!

For some height, have you tried corn?

 

[356]

Thanks for this info on a somewhat confusing product name(s) and traits. Seems to me planting WGF GRAIN Sorghum (also called Milo) would be the bulk of what I want to plant (75 % ?)....which would supply late season and winter food.

Then perhaps......add the 25% balance in BML Series 6 Dwarf Forage Sorghum to add some better height for security and screening effects.....yet keep some "standablity" in cold weather. Stay away from the high and "whimpy" stalks.

Sounds like it does not like competition tho.....so I need to start with a nuked seed bed. Then it should be fast growing and come in solid before my clover attempts to take over again? Sound right?

Anyone have some experience?.....or a blend to share....or anyone planted into a clover plot? <---hoping to get the needed nitrogen from that clover.......and to plant some two-pass strips with my drill.

Foggy47, I planted Milo/Clover here in NW Missouri, on July 2, and it works. This picture is from September 22, and the Milo-Clover was drilled into an older clover field. This small section (about 40’x100’) was drilled using leftover Milo and clover from my other projects. There was standing clover that had been browsed heavily, and I did not do any soil preparation. I checked this area today, and the deer are browsing on the mainly on the clover. This is my first year using Milo, and there is no other Milo in our area. A couple of deer are browsing on the Milo heads in the dough stage like it was candy, while most seem to ignore it. I am confident it will provide late browse, although I have read that after a few years, the deer will prefer the dough state heads, thus leaving little for late season.

 

[Foggy47]

Just remember on milo or sorghums, birds can go crazy on the seeds. On the clover, my 2nd & 3rd year regrowth gets really thick and always makes it hard to get other crops to flourish. I nuked all of my clover this year to avoid that, then the grasses (foxtail, etc.) took over. LOL!

For some height, have you tried corn?

Spud. I have grown some beautiful corn in the past. As much as 4 acres. I drew lots of coons and local bears spent lots of time in those corn fields. I swore off corn forever. I had a nice two-row JD 71 planter that I sold upon buying my drill.

When I say I have swore off corn.....that may be a little strong. I may try some kind of forage corn if I can find some that does not make ears. But then I may as well grow Forage Sorghum. no?

 

[Foggy47]

Foggy47, I planted Milo/Clover here in NW Missouri, on July 2, and it works. This picture is from September 22, and the Milo-Clover was drilled into an older clover field. This small section (about 40’x100’) was drilled using leftover Milo and clover from my other projects. There was standing clover that had been browsed heavily, and I did not do any soil preparation. I checked this area today, and the deer are browsing on the mainly on the clover. This is my first year using Milo, and there is no other Milo in our area. A couple of deer are browsing on the Milo heads in the dough stage like it was candy, while most seem to ignore it. I am confident it will provide late browse, although I have read that after a few years, the deer will prefer the dough state heads, thus leaving little for late season.
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Thanks 356. I'll be curious to see your crop shown after a hard freeze. We already had some frost here....and some varieties really wither fast with a freeze. I think the milo fares pretty good.

 

[356]

I'll be curious to see your crop shown after a hard freeze. We already had some frost here....and some varieties really wither fast with a freeze

It was 31 when the picture was taken, not really a hard frost, but I have not seen any issues. I will let you know how the Milo fares after a true hard frost, which at this point is overdue, with nothing in the 14 day forecast. My understanding is that once the the Milo heads, which is the only part deer eat, it keeps pretty well and becomes a preferred winter food. Of course, that is why I am experimenting with Milo.

 

[Tree Spud]

Spud. I have grown some beautiful corn in the past. As much as 4 acres. I drew lots of coons and local bears spent lots of time in those corn fields. I swore off corn forever. I had a nice two-row JD 71 planter that I sold upon buying my drill.

When I say I have swore off corn.....that may be a little strong. I may try some kind of forage corn if I can find some that does not make ears. But then I may as well grow Forage Sorghum. no?

Doesn't sound like a great trade off with the bears. I was thinkin may add 10-15% in to the mix to add some height. It will stand far better than sorghum. Cheaper forage corn where you might not get good stalk production sounds like a good idea.

 

[Brian662]

I don't know that you'll get the strong stalk of corn you're looking for if it is in a blend or has much competition with other grasses/grain. It could be thin and spindly...just something to consider.

 

[Foggy47]

Cleaned up my cabin and did a bunch of micl. chores around my building site today. I hauled an iron dining set off our lakeside patio and onto my deck at the deer land....that my wife wanted gone. She asked me to take a picture on how it fit.....and I the other day I was searching for a picture of my cabin.....and came up blank so I will add a few for the future.

Finally took some pictures of my better brassica plots.....and saw just one scrape over a pine branch in my trail. The Bucks are sparing now....but not many rubs and scrapes yet. The table is set at Deertopia. 9 days and counting.

 

[Bill]

Nice winter greens there.

 

[SD51555]

You must have a mountain of food out there for your brassicas to be hanging on that well on October 25th. Nicely done fella!

 

[Foggy47]

You must have a mountain of food out there for your brassicas to be hanging on that well on October 25th. Nicely done fella!

Thanks, I do have lots of good food plot area going into fall - 8 to 10 acres worth. Until recently the deer seemed to favor acorns and clover to the brassica. Also we had huge bean and cornfields nearby.....that have now been harvested. I think the colder weather that is on the way will change things. This is the first time in years....where I have decent brassica to replace the clover that will soon diminish with the cold weather. Very mild October here.....but it looks like winter starts on Saturday.

 

[Tree Spud]

Foggy looks great! Looks like brassicas made a good recovery.

 

[Foggy47]

Foggy looks great! Looks like brassicas made a good recovery.

In about 1/2 the areas I planted brassica they came back in spades....after hanging in there through some drought period. Some had to do with partial shade (better) and some with minimal tillage / scalping of the clover (helped too).

I'm quite surprised and happy with the growth put on the past few weeks....but conditions been good. Finally some frequent rainfalls. I may have 5 acres of great brassica / clover / rye and another 3 acres of fair brassica w/ good clover / rye.

(But....who is counting? grin.)

 

[Tree Spud]

Yeah, we have now had 3-4 weeks of rain one or two times a week. Been good long soaking rains. After our drought in late June to early Sept, hoping mine have have put on a good growth spurt. Will know more this weekend.