Farming for ducks

[3legged_lab]

Helping out my buddy this morning, gonna try some jap millet mix and see how it does.

[flight control]

I usually just plant corn a few days before the hunt. Your way might work too.

[3legged_lab]

And dumb dumb is here

[GadwallGetter530]

Hell yeah dude. That's awesome, I've always enjoyed making food plots. As long as the little finches and stuff stay off of it when it heads out I bet it'll be fine.

[Rick]

Hope it does well for you. A friend (who's kind enough to invite me for afternoon hunts when I'm free to play) is giving golden millet, which is new to me, a go this year, and I'm anxious to see how that turns out.

[GadwallGetter530]

Are you guys gonna do a flash irrigation. Or hold water on it for the summer?

[3legged_lab]

Are you guys gonna do a flash irrigation. Or hold water on it for the summer?

Its situated so that we can charge it with water from another pond that is slightly higher and holding water. I guess we need to get it 4"-6" high before adding any standing water.

I dont know though, I just volunteer labor and get lots of invites in return.

[GadwallGetter530]

Yeah. If you have constant hot weather you can keep an inch or so water on it. It Kinda acts like rice. The safe bet is just do what you are doin. Like you said once its established holding water on it will make it explode. Cool stuff buddy.

[3legged_lab]

On the bag it was labeled as "duck mix". Half jap millet, some kind of dove millet, sorghum, buckwheat and something else.

[Pintail]

Good luck! It would be fun to farm and see the results when hunting season rolls around.

[assateague]

Is that stuff a perennial?

[3legged_lab]

Is that stuff a perennial?

It said we could see some volunteer growth next year, but if you want a full crop it has to be replanted.

[GadwallGetter530]

Get a hold of some water grass. Basically the wild version of jap millet. Comes back strong every year and with a couple of irrigation in the summer. Its hardy plant compared to millet, with around the same yield per acre. Ducks love the stuff too.

[gila-river]

Always cool trying out new stuff. We did some jap millet here last year and it did ok. Some guys dropped the ball on irrigation. We're trying a sorghum Sudan hybrid this year. We grow it for cover crop at the farm so I know how to work it. Good luck

[3legged_lab]

Always cool trying out new stuff. We did some jap millet here last year and it did ok. Some guys dropped the ball on irrigation. We're trying a sorghum Sudan hybrid this year. We grow it for cover crop at the farm so I know how to work it. Good luck

Do you know how much water the millet mix should take for germination or is the soil moisture enough to make it sprout?

Its my buddies deal, I was just lending a hand today.

[gila-river]

Always cool trying out new stuff. We did some jap millet here last year and it did ok. Some guys dropped the ball on irrigation. We're trying a sorghum Sudan hybrid this year. We grow it for cover crop at the farm so I know how to work it. Good luck

Do you know how much water the millet mix should take for germination or is the soil moisture enough to make it sprout?

Its my buddies deal, I was just lending a hand today.

From the pics. Your soil looks pretty heavy. It may be enough to sprout. It's hard for me to say without feeling it but we sprinkle everything to an inch or 2 here because the soil is very light and even if you go easy flooding it will wash out and bunch a lot of seed in low spots and makes a shitty stand.

[GadwallGetter530]

I'd hit with a shot of water. Millet likes it when the ground is wet and moist. I've planted alot of millet at my place and my buddy's over the years.


Whats the average high temp there in the summer?

[3legged_lab]

Its is pretty damp. The water table is high and this pond is close to the river (less than 1/2 mile) and adjacent to the WMA which stays flooded year round. Elevation of the pond is also lower than the river, he floods in and pumps out.

[gila-river]

Its is pretty damp. The water table is high and this pond is close to the river (less than 1/2 mile) and adjacent to the WMA which stays flooded year round. Elevation of the pond is also lower than the river, he floods in and pumps out.

Dry farm it. At least til it germs.

[Juice Box]

I farm too!!!!

[i shoot spoonies]

I farm too!!!!

Farming fat chicks at concerts doesn't count

[Juice Box]

I was drunk and she was easy lol

[AKPirate]

If she was fat she wasn't dry...

[gila-river]

If she was fat she wasn't dry...

:lol::lol:

[Flightstopper]

Get a hold of some water grass. Basically the wild version of jap millet. Comes back strong every year and with a couple of irrigation in the summer. Its hardy plant compared to millet, with around the same yield per acre. Ducks love the stuff too.

What other names does this go by? Barnyard millet?

[QH's Paw]

JR, it will work as long as you have enough water when it is needed. Jap millet is the main thing they use at Sauvie's Island WMA, besides corn that is. It will take a few years for the birds to build in good numbers, unless they already use the property. That's also depending on if it's in the flight path too, if it isn't already a feeding area.

[Redbeard]

I farm too!!!!

Haha

[GadwallGetter530]

I farm too!!!!

[GadwallGetter530]

Its is pretty damp. The water table is high and this pond is close to the river (less than 1/2 mile) and adjacent to the WMA which stays flooded year round. Elevation of the pond is also lower than the river, he floods in and pumps out.

In the photo of you working the ground. Is that as much moisture you're gonna get in the dirt? Or are you planning on water subbing in from the next field over?

[3legged_lab]

Its is pretty damp. The water table is high and this pond is close to the river (less than 1/2 mile) and adjacent to the WMA which stays flooded year round. Elevation of the pond is also lower than the river, he floods in and pumps out.

In the photo of you working the ground. Is that as much moisture you're gonna get in the dirt? Or are you planning on water subbing in from the next field over?

I really dont know, im not the farmer, just the volunteer labor. We can open a gate and let water in any time though.

Also I told him about the water grass you mentioned and he said to ask you where to get it and how much is it.