How to Plant Sorghum

Sorghum is primarily grown for use as livestock feed.

Sorghum (pronounced "sore-gum") is an introduced grain thought to have originated in Africa. In the United States, it is grown for livestock feed, feedstock for producing ethanol and as an ingredient in commercially packaged wild bird seed. Because sorghum requires significantly less moisture than corn, it is often grown in the arid high plains of the Midwest. Sorghum varieties grown domestically consist of grain sorghum, which is also called milo, or broomcorn (Sorghum vulgare). Sorghum is a tall plant with a large showy central plume, and can also be planted as an ornamental by any home gardener.

Things You'll Need

• Garden shovel
• Rake
• Grain sorghum or broomcorn seed
• Fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 2-1-1
• Soil thermometer

Instructions

1. Select a planting area with good drainage and full sun exposure.

2. Wait until all danger of frost has passed and the soil temperature is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Sorghum will not germinate in cold soil.

3. Turn the soil over several times with the shovel, breaking up any clods. Sorghum has an extensive root system and will grow best in soil that has been thoroughly loosened.

4. Mix in your N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) fertilizer at a rate of about 120 pounds per acre. An acre is roughly 44,000 square feet, so in a 20-by-20-foot bed (400 square feet) you will need about 1 pound of fertilizer.

5. Rake the seed bed until it is smooth and level. Use one tine to make planting furrows approximately 1 1/2-inches deep. Space grain sorghum furrows 30 to 40 inches apart. Space broomcorn furrows 36 to 40 inches apart. Wide spacing provides each plant with adequate sunlight and reduces competition for moisture.

6. Plant grain sorghum seeds 1 to 2 inches apart. Plant broomcorn seeds 3 inches apart. Cover the furrows and lightly tamp the soil to ensure good contact.

7. Water the bed with a light spray. This will hold down the dust and provide an initial infusion of moisture. Keep the bed moist, but do not soak the soil. If temperatures remain above 65 degrees Fahrenheit, your sorghum plants should emerge in 6 to 10 days.

Tips & Warnings

• If you choose to grow standard (traditional) broomcorn, and live in a very dry location with little rainfall, space the seeds 6 to 9 inches apart.

References

• Purdue University Department of Horticulture: Broomcorn
• Purdue University Department of Horticulture: Grain Sorghum (Milo)