Wildlife Food Plot: Sunflowers, Millet, Wheat, Sorghum

dott22 · August 14, 2011

I'm trying to put together a food plot, targeting Mourning Doves. I'm looking for open pollinated varieties that yield well and grow without much fuss, fertility, or water in the heat ( Zone 8a, summer temps hovering in the upper 90s )

I already have some great varieties of corn to grow out for, testing and more seed ( well eating too, of course ! ): Hickory King, Cherokee Squaw, and Helens White. The crops I'm interested in are as follows:

1. Sunflowers: peredovic ( black oil seed )
2. Millet
3. Spring Wheat
4. Grain Sorghum

I'd like to be able to grow for the birds and then harvest seed for re-planting the following year. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

--
Daniel

O.P. Mater · August 22, 2011

Hey Daniel, My husband plants food plots just about every year. He plants sunflowers & they seem to be enjoyed by the indigo buntings and red birds. Millet has been great for all birds, including doves......it reseeds extremely well. It is hard to follow it the next year with regular garden plants because the millet will smother them out. Spring wheat here has done nothing but lure in the wild pigs. They destroyed about an acre of wheat this spring in two nights. It was still green and at the soft stage right before the grains harden. Sorghum is beautiful growing and all birds love it. I think you will do great with the crops you have chosen....they have all done well here in zone 7 without irrigation. Good luck!

August 14, 2011	#1
dott22 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: South Carolina Posts: 19	Wildlife Food Plot: Sunflowers, Millet, Wheat, Sorghum I'm trying to put together a food plot, targeting Mourning Doves. I'm looking for open pollinated varieties that yield well and grow without much fuss, fertility, or water in the heat ( Zone 8a, summer temps hovering in the upper 90s ) I already have some great varieties of corn to grow out for, testing and more seed ( well eating too, of course ! ): Hickory King, Cherokee Squaw, and Helens White. The crops I'm interested in are as follows: 1. Sunflowers: peredovic ( black oil seed ) 2. Millet 3. Spring Wheat 4. Grain Sorghum I'd like to be able to grow for the birds and then harvest seed for re-planting the following year. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. -- Daniel

August 22, 2011	#2
O.P. Mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: upstate SC Posts: 147	Hey Daniel, My husband plants food plots just about every year. He plants sunflowers & they seem to be enjoyed by the indigo buntings and red birds. Millet has been great for all birds, including doves......it reseeds extremely well. It is hard to follow it the next year with regular garden plants because the millet will smother them out. Spring wheat here has done nothing but lure in the wild pigs. They destroyed about an acre of wheat this spring in two nights. It was still green and at the soft stage right before the grains harden. Sorghum is beautiful growing and all birds love it. I think you will do great with the crops you have chosen....they have all done well here in zone 7 without irrigation. Good luck!