Sorghum Row Spacing?

Jonathan

Yearling... With promise
I planted Sorghum on 15" row spacing, flood irrigated this year. Half of the field was a blend of forage and grain Sorghums (Blizzard Buster) and half was a blend of grain sorghums (Covey Rise). I am trying to create good winter cover for birds, both of the blends did very well but after some snow cover they appear to be very open and will not provide good thermal cover. Has anyone had success planting with 7.5" rows?
 
This was our first year planting sorghum grain. We had an incredibly wet summer and were about 10" ahead on moisture and then it quit right around the time the grain heads began to form, so I am not entirely sure how it will be in a normal year. Still, I was blown away by the crop that we did get by drilling at 7.5" rows using a Great Plains drill. We didn't calibrate it but we did get pretty close to our target rate of seed in lbs/acre. I will have to dig up what that was, and I will get back to you later with that rate. I will also follow up next week with what it looks like currently. It won't have snow, but you will be able to see what it looks like for this crop in northern Missouri.

September 6th: (I am attributing them not being taller to the cooler/wetter summer. Here, they average grain height is between 3-4 ft).
PXL_20210906_123811873.jpg


Also September 6th. This is just a comparison of grain sorghum and sorghum-sudan that were planted with the same rate and depth on the same day.
PXL_20210906_123317883.jpg


October 27th: All of the grain is gone. The deer and birds devoured this plot in the span of 2-3 weeks. We will be planting about another acre or so of sorghum this coming year.
PXL_20211027_203706116.jpg
 
This was our first year planting sorghum grain. We had an incredibly wet summer and were about 10" ahead on moisture and then it quit right around the time the grain heads began to form, so I am not entirely sure how it will be in a normal year. Still, I was blown away by the crop that we did get by drilling at 7.5" rows using a Great Plains drill. We didn't calibrate it but we did get pretty close to our target rate of seed in lbs/acre. I will have to dig up what that was, and I will get back to you later with that rate. I will also follow up next week with what it looks like currently. It won't have snow, but you will be able to see what it looks like for this crop in northern Missouri.

September 6th: (I am attributing them not being taller to the cooler/wetter summer. Here, they average grain height is between 3-4 ft).
View attachment 39379


Also September 6th. This is just a comparison of grain sorghum and sorghum-sudan that were planted with the same rate and depth on the same day.
View attachment 39380


October 27th: All of the grain is gone. The deer and birds devoured this plot in the span of 2-3 weeks. We will be planting about another acre or so of sorghum this coming year.
View attachment 39381
Here is a picture of mine on Sept 18 with 15” rows. Now that it has froze and been snowed on you can see down the rows of grain sorghum, as of now the deer have not touched it.
 

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If heavy snows are going to be a problem (not sure where you're located) you could try alternating between corn and sorghum for the crop to stand stronger in winter. Might give the birds some better overhead cover to duck in to if birds of prey are around. I've never done it, just throwing ideas out there.
 
Here is a picture of mine on Sept 18 with 15” rows. Now that it has froze and been snowed on you can see down the rows of grain sorghum, as of now the deer have not touched it.
That's a beautiful stand.
I've thought about alternating rows with a a forage soybean. Getting the best of both worlds. I'm not quite sure how that would work with the drill and with 7.5" rows.
 
That's a beautiful stand.
I've thought about alternating rows with a a forage soybean. Getting the best of both worlds. I'm not quite sure how that would work with the drill and with 7.5" rows.


Think cardboard and duct tape.
I may have to get your seed rates for 7.5 rows. I’ve always blocked off every other seed tube.
I think I’m going with Sudan next year while my second year MG keeps getting closer to doing its job.
 
Think cardboard and duct tape.
I may have to get your seed rates for 7.5 rows. I’ve always blocked off every other seed tube.
I think I’m going with Sudan next year while my second year MG keeps getting closer to doing its job.
That's exactly what I was thinking of doing.

Our target rates on both the sorghum and the sorghum Sudan grass were 10 lbs/acre. The sorghum worked about perfect as we drilled exactly an acre with 12 pounds of seed in the hopper and had about 2 pounds leftover. We used drive type 2 and setting 5 of the main seed hopper for the great plains drill we rent from the NRCS.

Regarding the sorghum Sudan grass, I can't say for sure about that rate. Let's just say it was plenty thick enough for a screen, as that's exactly why planted it. I've tried Egyptian Wheat as a screen and thought that was great, but the sorghum Sudan is incredible. It holds up better in the winter and I feel like deer and birds prefer it over the Egyptian Wheat.

I've seen your new planting of MG. Looks like you're going to have another amazing screen in another two years or so.
 
For best yields, most farm at 30" rows for grain sorghum, some at 15". You could do 7.5", you just need to lower your seeding rates. I believe Bill Winke planted milo on his place for years at 7.5" with his Genesis for food plots. Great results.

Another option is mixing with soybeans and milo as another suggested. Welters actually sells this soybean / milo combination:

 
I'm in FL killing hogs and fishing, or I'd get my rates. I do the sorghum in 7.5" rows, with great success. I've also done soybeans and added sorghum to the box. It also has been a big hit. The sorghum gives the beans so vertical cover, so the bucks can't stay in the woods and see if there are does out there. Go on the lighter side if doing a monoculture or you don't get the grain. Deer in NEMO love sorghum...
 
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