Sunn Hemp

[Ben.MN/WI]

Has anyone in the north country tried using sunn hemp as a soil builder and bedding cover combo?

I know it is used frequently down south, but I'm not sure how it will hold up in Minnesota. My goal for the area is to build up some organic matter in some eroded soil while also creating some deer and pheasant cover. I'm thinking about planting come of it straight and then maybe mixing it with some milo, leftover corn or whatever other seed I have laying around. I would be interested in any suggestions if there are any ideas for alternate seeds that might also work for that situation.

I'm limited to ATV only equipment here, but the field is easy to work with how since it was soybeans last year.

 

[Tree Spud]

I did an acre a couple of years ago as a stand alone. It grew well to ~5'-6'. The challenge was that it was very fibrous and took a year or 2 to start to break down. I guess there is a trade-off with good OM and tough plant residue.

 

[Tree Spud]

An alternative would be hairy vetch. Good OM volume producer and will affix nitrogen. Plant similar to WR, planting in early august and it will grow well following spring.

 

[Telemark]

I would avoid sunn hemp if you only have ATV implements to work with. Milo and millet will give you a decent stand for pheasants. If you want a summer legume soil builder, maybe cowpeas would be a good choice. You can add vetch, but go light on it. Ordinary climbing peas might be a good choice too.

My understanding is that sunn hemp and giant sunflowers can be too difficult for ATV implements. Corn could be challenging as well, but

I wouldn't put corn in a blend. If you're going to plant corn, you should plant it properly in order to get the most out of it.

 

[Skeeter]

I've tried sunn hemp in a mix a few times in central MN using the TnM method and have not had good results. Never had any get over about two feet tall. Could just be my soil so I wouldn't discourage you from giving it a go, just don't bet the farm on it.

 

[Northwoods Whitetails]

We did some August plantings in our garden and it got 5 feet tall. But was disappointed with the nodules on the root. Possibly not enough growing time. The winter peas produces more nodules.

If spring planting , I’d say mid to late June when the soils really warm up.

 

[bigboreblr]

What ATV equipment do you got. I've done hairy vettch in zone 3 with good rsults. Done canola too. Seen sunn hemp in that area grow well on AG land not too far away.

Thicker tougher plants for build soil might appreciate a mowing when terminating.

A mix of vetch would help with nitrogen production. Although no till can go hand in hand with no soil amendments, building organic matter with the help of fertilizer for the first few years helps speed up the process.

 

[farmlegend]

I've had Sunn Hemp in my multi-species cover crops in two consecutive seasons, southern Michigan, heavy dirt.

Has not performed well. Gets 2' tall, max, and doesn't seem to thrive at all, much of it never came up. A nearby friend with similar circumstances had it perform even worse.

 

[jsasker007]

Sun hemp never did very well for me at all either.

 

[matinc]

I will be planting a mixture of summer release seeds with sun hemp included over 4th of July weekend to see how it grows. Also will be trying stand monoculture of buckwheat to see how that does. Either way it's terminated labor day weekend

 

[Foggy47]

I will be planting a mixture of summer release seeds with sun hemp included over 4th of July weekend to see how it grows. Also will be trying stand monoculture of buckwheat to see how that does. Either way it's terminated labor day weekend

Any update on your Sunn Hemp experience? If I could grow a tall annual in my clover to provide some security for deer in daytime hours.....I'd work with it....but gotta find something that holds up into late season in cold weather (December). Been working with NWW Sorghum, but willing to try any annual that stands into early winter.

 

[Foggy47]

Doing a bit of research on Sunn Hemp today....and thought this video to be interesting. I keep searching for a plant that would create vertical cover in my clover / brassica plots.......so deer may use the plots better in daylight hours.....and most importantly remain standing into early winter. Not sure this is it.

mowing sunn hemp - Yahoo Video Search Results

The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web.

video.search.yahoo.com

 

[matinc]

Foggy. You got to hear this update. I broadcasted 6 different seeds and crimped over 4th of July. Basically no rain the entire 8 weeks till today ob labor day weekend. I'm embarrassed to say I have buckwheat up 5 inches tall with flowers. Ughh. Sunn hemp up five inches and some sorghum up 8 inches tall. What a disaster. Talk about pissed off. I have now decided to play Michael Jackson and go with a totally simple strategy. ABC easy as 123. So labor day I started my new program. 1 broadcast seed 300 pounds per acre of rye . 2 crimp field and 3 mow at 4 inches and leave the field alone until next labor day. As of yesterday I still have 300 pounds of rye sitting on the surface and no rain to germinate it for 3 weeks. These are my field after being broadcast med and mowed. At least I did not clean my plate and create a Mohave desert. Clover sorghum sunn hemp buckwheat sunflower peas are still growing. Curious if anyone approves of my new ABC easy as 123 yearly program

 

[txbowman12]

Doing a bit of research on Sunn Hemp today....and thought this video to be interesting. I keep searching for a plant that would create vertical cover in my clover / brassica plots.......so deer may use the plots better in daylight hours.....and most importantly remain standing into early winter. Not sure this is it.

mowing sunn hemp - Yahoo Video Search Results

The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web.

video.search.yahoo.com

You tried sorghum sudangrass? I've got some over 8 feet tall to screen my foodplot from a house. Not sure yet how it will last through winter.

 

[Foggy47]

You tried sorghum sudangrass? I've got some over 8 feet tall to screen my foodplot from a house. Not sure yet how it will last through winter.

Have grown some in the past. It "melts" at first frost. Currently growing some NWW Sorghum that is said to last into January. Looks good at this point. But I need something that will grow within my foodplots.....and most of the sorghum's and such talked about here won't do that very well.