Milo to protect beans?

[TreeDaddy]

I got a notice from green cover seed that milpa is back in stock

For those who have drilled this mix, what settings worked well?

bill

 

[Bowsnbucks]

For those who planted the small gourds in their mixed plots - did deer eat any of those? Pumpkins I know they'll eat.

As for milo plantings - we've planted the shorter "wild game food" type (also called dwarf sorghum) at a light rate with buckwheat, clover, and white millet. All plants did well with the shorter milo since it didn't shade the other plants, and planting a thinner rate added some cover, while not outcompeting the other plants. FWIW.

 

[Foggy47]

I got a notice from green cover seed that milpa is back in stock

For those who have drilled this mix, what settings worked well?

bill

Been reading about using the two seed boxes to shut off seeds in some rows that allow others to establish. For example....If I have 9 seed drops (or rows) on 7.5" centers......one could put milo in the small seed box in rows 2, 4, 6, 8 .....and put MILPLA in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and use the large seed box. Obviously you need to block the alternate rows with duct tape or the "plugs" provided with with your drill.

Such an arrangement allows the new seedlings to establish without undue competition from the other seeds. May want to adjust my row plans here? Looking for that holy grail of a plan here. As I think the Milpia and Milo combo have some merit for me.

 

[Telemark]

Been reading about using the two seed boxes to shut off seeds in some rows that allow others to establish. For example....If I have 9 seed drops (or rows) on 7.5" centers......one could put milo in the small seed box in rows 2, 4, 6, 8 .....and put MILPLA in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and use the large seed box. Obviously you need to block the alternate rows with duct tape or the "plugs" provided with with your drill.

Such an arrangement allows the new seedlings to establish without undue competition from the other seeds. May want to adjust my row plans here? Looking for that holy grail of a plan here. As I think the Milpia and Milo combo have some merit for me.

Is that the density they recommend? Seems awfully dense, especially for the milo. And if you run your rows East/West, the milo might shade everything out. The milpa mix I saw on Green cover's website has okra, which I've seen grow 6 feet tall. It also has sunflowers, which can get very tall. Then it has a bunch of peas, beans, pumpkin, and zucchini, which are large seeds, as well as brassicas, which are about as small as it gets. You might be better served by just adding some milo to the mix and planting according to their instructions. Apparently you also get a bag of sweet corn with the mix, which has to be planted separately in rows in order for it to pollinate properly.

After looking at their milpa mix on their website, the pictures of the field look extremely dense, and I don't understand how they get brassicas to grow under all that other stuff. I would be tempted to sift the milpa mix and plant the large seeds in alternating N/S rows, then take the smaller seeds, add a little crimson clover and milo, and do the other rows with the smaller seeds. That would give you everything in the same field, but keep the low growing plants and sparse milo in their own rows, while leaving the tall plants and vining plants together in their own rows. It also gives the melons and squashes some space to spread into. When the warm weather crops die off in the Autumn, then the brassicas can get some sunlight, but the stalks of the taller plants remain for structure and cover.

I don't have any experience with milpa, so my advice is worth what you paid for it, but I can't imagine turnips and watermelons producing anything under a canopy of okra, sunflower, and milo.

 

[Foggy47]

Is that the density they recommend? Seems awfully dense, especially for the milo. And if you run your rows East/West, the milo might shade everything out. The milpa mix I saw on Green cover's website has okra, which I've seen grow 6 feet tall. It also has sunflowers, which can get very tall. Then it has a bunch of peas, beans, pumpkin, and zucchini, which are large seeds, as well as brassicas, which are about as small as it gets. You might be better served by just adding some milo to the mix and planting according to their instructions. Apparently you also get a bag of sweet corn with the mix, which has to be planted separately in rows in order for it to pollinate properly.

After looking at their milpa mix on their website, the pictures of the field look extremely dense, and I don't understand how they get brassicas to grow under all that other stuff. I would be tempted to sift the milpa mix and plant the large seeds in alternating N/S rows, then take the smaller seeds, add a little crimson clover and milo, and do the other rows with the smaller seeds. That would give you everything in the same field, but keep the low growing plants and sparse milo in their own rows, while leaving the tall plants and vining plants together in their own rows. It also gives the melons and squashes some space to spread into. When the warm weather crops die off in the Autumn, then the brassicas can get some sunlight, but the stalks of the taller plants remain for structure and cover.

I don't have any experience with milpa, so my advice is worth what you paid for it, but I can't imagine turnips and watermelons producing anything under a canopy of okra, sunflower, and milo.

^This is my concern as well. Some of those seeds are going to have problems in a diverse mix like this....IMO. Is there a good thread on the Green Cover MIPA mix?

 

[goatman]

The melons will be baseball size or smaller. Yep okra and sunflowers are decent size. Beans and squash will climb. Pumpkin still came on the ground. Mine was spaced out some on the rows and still canopied fast to out grow the weeds. Not sure how Milo will do.

 

[Telemark]

The melons will be baseball size or smaller. Yep okra and sunflowers are decent size. Beans and squash will climb. Pumpkin still came on the ground. Mine was spaced out some on the rows and still canopied fast to out grow the weeds. Not sure how Milo will do.

You planted milpa blend? Do you remember how many lbs per acre?

Also, you said you planted it in rows? What was between the rows?

Did you notice any brassica growth?

 

[Westwind]

You planted milpa blend? Do you remember how many lbs per acre?

Also, you said you planted it in rows? What was between the rows?

Did you notice any brassica growth?

Yes. 35# per acre.

7.5" "rows" but my seeder isnt really a drill. I didn't pre-plant any corn or milo in rows

Yes there was brassaca that came up. Pretty much everything in the blend came up. Melons were round and about size of grapefruit.

If I plant this again I'm going to ask Greencover for advice on what milo to mix in and plant it all together

 

[Telemark]

Awesome. Thanks fornthe info.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Yes. 35# per acre.

7.5" "rows" but my seeder isnt really a drill. I didn't pre-plant any corn or milo in rows

Yes there was brassaca that came up. Pretty much everything in the blend came up. Melons were round and about size of grapefruit.

If I plant this again I'm going to ask Greencover for advice on what milo to mix in and plant it all together

Keith Berns at green cover has a 2 min video covering milpa planting rates, tips etc

Google up milpa drill settings

bill

 

[Telemark]

Keith Berns at green cover has a 2 min video covering milpa planting rates, tips etc

Google up milpa drill settings

bill

His fields look good for food, which milpa is meant for, butnitnlooks a bit too thick for deer. Did you get good deer use in yours?

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I would plant on the light side and add subterranean clover to take up the extra space where the weeds could grow.