How to Plant Sorghum Seed
Sorghum is a genus of grasses that contains about 30 species. Sorghum bicolor is a commercial crop for human and animals in warm climates throughout the world. The grain from this species of sorghum is a cereal crop, especially in arid regions. Sorghum is the source of sorghum syrup, and it can also be used to make a type of rum. The procedure for planting sorghum from seed is generally the same as for corn, although it has a lower water requirement. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Treat the sorghum seed with a fungicide according to the manufacturer's instruction. These seeds are prone to rot and blight caused by fungi.
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Select a planting site in full sun with proper drainage, and loosen the soil to a depth of at least 4 inches with a rototiller. Mix sufficient limestone into the soil to raise the soil pH to 6.0.
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Fertilize the loose soil with up to 120 lbs. of nitrogen per acre for poor soil. Perform this step only if you don't plant sorghum in rows.
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Plant sorghum seeds in the spring when the soil temperature reaches 65 degrees at a depth of 4 inches to ensure rapid germination. Sow the seeds at a concentration of 25 lbs. per acre with a broadcast spreader if you are growing sorghum as a crop. Use a concentration of 5 to 10 lbs. of seeds per acre if you are growing sorghum as a pasture. Plant the seeds in rows 3 feet apart if you grow sorghum as a crop.
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Cover the sorghum seeds with 1 inch of soil. Keep the soil moist with at least 1 inch of water per week until the seeds sprout, usually within two weeks. Sorghum can tolerate a range of water once it sprouts.
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Apply up to 120 lbs. nitrogen fertilizer per acre in a line 2 inches to the side of each row when the plants reach a height of at least 8 inches. Perform this step only if you plant the sorghum in rows.
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