Millet,Bermuda,bahia

[jj216]

As I was finishing clearing some land this weekend I started to think about planting it this spring.Ive noticed contractors that do the highways and stuff plant millet and bermuda or bahia together.As long as it takes for the grass to get established,would this be a good idea for a new pasture.I would think the millet would shade out the grass at some point and stunt its establishment.But it would be nice to get some forage and erosion control going fast.Has anybody used millet as nurse crop for bermuda or bahia with success.

 

[Jogeephus]

I did that with bahia and it worked really well. I used an old JD grain drill with a small seed box and planted millet and bahia at the same time. I also did a control plot with just bahia. Both fertilized the same. I grazed the millet as I normally would and did lose some of the sprouts but not many. The biggest difference was that in the control plot I had a lot of weeds I had to mow. In the millet bahia mix, I grazed it and didn't have the weed problem. The next spring, the control plot looked like it had a little better coverage but in a month they both looked the same. Oh, and I also shot doves over the mixture that fall.

I would definitely recommend it. It makes good sense to me.

 

[jj216]

Thank ya,your answers are always helpful and honest and insightful.I exspected one from you.I'll stick with bahia and try it.With the way the drought is going I'm not gonna spend the money on spriggs or high dollar bermuda seeds.Plus I can always use a good dove field.

 

[Florida cattle]

jj216

Brown Top Millet is the best millet to use as a "nurse crop" it does not get too high so you will not have to worry about the millet killing your grass. Like Jo said you can graze it or cut it for hay, and still have a good dove shoot of of it.