| Critical pre-planting decisions |
| |
| Ask your neighbors. |
- "Which hybrids have worked best for you on
similar soils?"
- "Which hybrids have proved most stable and
performed well through several seasons?"
|
| Study the data. |
- Look at the university test trials and local farm
results.
|
| Look at the hybrid attributes. |
- Which hybrids have high-yield potential when
compared to others at the same maturity dates?
- Consider germination and the purity of the seed you
are purchasing.
|
| Look at your pest conditions. |
- If insects are a problem, consider a seed
treatment.
|
| Get your planter ready. |
- Figure the seeds per pound and adjust the planter
in accordance with the seed drop per foot.
|
| Evaluate your water situation. |
- If you expect less-than-optimum conditions, use an
early maturing hybrid with a lower plant population.
- Look at rainfall patterns, and adjust your planting
date to best support growth and help avoid insect
pressure.
|
| Use soil test information. |
- Administer, at the least, a sufficient starter
fertilizer.
|
| |
| Choosing the appropriate depth for
planting sorghum |
| |
- Plant sorghum seed just beneath the surface
level. The soil is warmer there and the seed can germinate and
emerge faster.
- In heavy soils, plant at 3/4 - 1 3/4
inch depth. plant up to 1 3/4 inches deep in sandy
conditions.
- ONLY plant deeper if the depth is needed for the
seed to attain moisture.
- Planting just below the surface helps prevent
insect, disease and herbicide injury, which could result in
suspended plant growth.
|
| |
| Preparing the seedbed |
| |
- Don't shortcut your seedbed preparation.
Because sorghum seed is so tiny, at 10,000 to 18,000 seeds per
pound, an improperly prepared seedbed can result in stand failures.
- Sorghum performs well under both conventional and
reduced-till planting methods.
- Whichever planting system is used, the seed must
have good seed-to-soil contact, and the surrounding soil must be
moist, warm and firm.
- When planting into shallow soil hardpans, consider
"subsoiling" or "ripping," then dropping seeds
over the penetrated soil. This will encourage deep rooting.
- Avoid planting into soil that has an extremely
large number of clods.
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