Sorghum Alum

okie guide · Postby **okie guide** » Thu May 20, 2004 8:11 am

Has anyone ever planted sorghum alum?? We had great results with it last year but never hear it mentioned

Don Miller · Postby **Don Miller** » Thu May 20, 2004 8:17 am

Alum?

You mean that stuff that makes your mouth draw up? If a duck ate that stuff, he wouldn't be able to feed again for a week. :lol:

I guess I have no idea what you are talking about.

webfoot · Postby **webfoot** » Thu May 20, 2004 9:13 am

Is a warm season perennial that can be mown yearly and used by nesting quail and other wildlife.

Don Miller · Postby **Don Miller** » Thu May 20, 2004 9:23 am

Thanks for the info, Webfoot. I had never heard of it. Your avatar looks like he has been feedin on that alum. :lol:

RLJames · Postby **RLJames** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:46 pm

Sorghum Alum is a sustitute for johnson grass. Farmers over here use to plant it for hay. You could get a better stand with sorghum alum than the johnson grass because of the low viability of johnson grass seed.

crow · Postby **crow** » Thu May 20, 2004 4:13 pm

Is that what dairy farmers cut for silage?

SoftCall · Postby **SoftCall** » Thu May 20, 2004 8:47 pm

Okie Guide...what's the recipe for growing that successfully in that red dirt? Can you broadcast it with good luck? How deep are you running your disc, How much fertilizer, coverage, etc. etc.? Also, how does it respond to that hot dry drought-like heat? Last year was bad for rainfall in OK and all parts of the panhandle. It's picked up but I expect it will be dry again in the peak of the summer. If it did well last year, it's tough stuff or you had to irrigate. Let me know.

okie guide · Postby **okie guide** » Fri May 21, 2004 6:08 am

Yes we planted quite a bit last year. We disced about 3-4" just like everthing else, we only broadcast and it is very, very drought tolerant. It looks like johnson grass (about 4') but puts on much more seed. We do a mixture of 10lbs SA and 10lbs browntop per acre (no fertilizer). This mixture was incredible for us last year. Why the ducks were in it so hard is anyones guess. My guess would be because of the seed, cover, and invertebrates that use this cover. Our place is a old rice farm that we moist soil manage so it is quite open, putting a little river cane on our blinds in the SA concealed us to a T. If you are planting it just for the seed it probably is not what your looking for but I don't think enough guys put enough emphasis on what invertebrates can do for you. Have a good day!

SoftCall · Postby **SoftCall** » Fri May 21, 2004 6:16 am

Thanks OG. we are going to throw it in the mix this year. Sounds like you guys have better soil so we'll put the nitrogen to it as well.

thanks!

okie guide · Postby **okie guide** » Fri May 21, 2004 6:26 am

We really don't, hard black clay and we do not irrigate.

SoftCall · Postby **SoftCall** » Fri May 21, 2004 6:35 am

OG - check your PM

Sorghum Alum

Sorghum Alum

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