Warm Season Living Fallow Crop for Bulk Organic Veg. Matter + Edible Seed Heads = There are more than 30,000 seeds per kg of Sorghum = Planting Rates vary from 20 to 200 seeds per square metre according to objective. ORDER SEED at BOTTOM of PAGE or SEE LINK ABOVE for BEST VALUE SEED KITS with Annual Grains + Perennial Legumes . TOP VALUE SEEDS with Calico Bags that are handy for curing your home harvest seeds.
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Giant Sorghum “Sugar Drip” grows to 2 metres tall Forage & Grain Variety Yields up to 30 Tonnes per Hectare Organic Matter as Mulch
Short Sorghum grows to 900mm Grain Variety Yields up to 5 Tonnes per Hectare as Grain SEE ALSO Cool Season Ground Worker Seed Kits in Stock
Form and Function: Annual Grain. Grows as a tall tussock to 900mm or 2 metres according to variety. It may be left standing for many months after frost kills it off. It then often regrows from base in spring if moisture is available, forming a hedgerow row again if planted that way which makes it the ideal fast growing hedge. Plant as a block for making mulch or to dig back into the soil. PERFECT HEDGE for BUTTERFLY PEA the Butterfly Pea can then grow up above the pecking range of chickens. Butterfly Pea is one of the best green picks for birds. SILK SORGHUM is a recent introduction to The Long Yard Garden – currently experimenting with Silk for Fast Growing Hedges.
Fodder: All grazing animals. Green pick for poultry when tender. Earthworm food when cut and laid.
Mulch: Self Mulches or hand harvest stems as needed.
Add: To fermenting liquid fertilisers.
Planting Window: Warm Season. October to February.
Seed Supplied: Medium size seed, about 20 grams of Short Sorghum per square metre for cover crop. Each plant produces several thousand seeds.
Germination Rate: 90%
Maturity: To seed is 5 months. During half way growth, it may be cut back for mulch, it will then regrow to set seed.
Suitable Soil Type: Grown extensively throughout Australia in the good cropping country, mostly dryland. Suited heavy clays and richer loams. Thrives in nourished gardens.
Planting Methods: Till garden bed or row, remove competing grasses. Cover seed to 50mm with soil.
General: Sorghum helps develop good soil from its deep and vigorous root system. As part of a crop rotation it can be a good way to make mulch for other parts of the garden.
PHOTO 1: Hedge of Giant Sorghum “Sugar Drip” with bags to protect seed heads from parrots. Cut back and it regrows from the base in Spring. Date of Photo: July 2020
PHOTO 2: Frosted Short Sorghum as hedge plants regrow from the base in Spring. Date of Photo: Mid-Winter
PHOTO 3: Short Sorghum in seed planted as a hedge in garden. Sorghum is a high yielding grain crop. Date of Photo: Mid-Summer
PHOTO 4: Hedge row of Short Sorghum on right in Long Yard Garden. Date of Photo: Mid-Summer