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I'm going to make my first attempt at planting a dove field this year, never done it before myself. We have been thinking to do sunflowers on one end of the field and millet in the other but I have no first hand experience planting either for doves. Could use any input on planting dates, seed rates etc. Also trying to learn about the Clearfield sunflowers and herbicides that can be used on them. I do not have a planter or no till drill, can sunflowers be broadcast or is that a bad idea?

Need to get you a book from your local extension service concerning chemicals and such

A solid clean planting bed is crucial. Broadcasting can work but they won’t do as well as planted. Need to have them planted by 5-15. Earlier the better. Wouldn’t put into ground until 4-15.

Dual, select, and roundup. Clear field chemical is expensive. Roundup it, plant, hit with dual and select. Needs a little nitrogen for a bump (soil test) or hit them with some triple 13 if nothing else. If u can afford clearfield it helps tremendously but a good clean start makes the end result that much better

Once the birds have found it you can send me an invite lol. Been hard to find a good shoot the last few years

Keep your eye out for an old IH 800 or 900 planter. Cheaper than the Deeres and can no-till with no added accessories. We plant right into our dead wheat, rye patches. Can’t offer much help on sunflowers, as our fields are too small and deer wear them out.

I think I remember a member here from back in our heyday who used to disk and broadcast his sunflower field.

I think he may have also walked through it with a backpack sprayer spraying Roundup to keep the weeds under control but I could be another person who did that.

I’ve never seen a field that’s been planned that that way so I can’t comment.

If it were me and if you could handle the rest I would find a neighbor who could plant it for you and then you handle the rest.