When to Sow Sudan Grass
Comprehensive explanation of when to sow Sudan grass and some small green plant maintenance experiences related to Sudan grass planting time and methods to increase yield. The following is an introduction for you in detail:
Sudan grass is a widely sown spring forage variety, suitable for planting in both the north and south. Especially for friends raising cattle and sheep, if you want to plant high-yield forage, to cut and feed immediately as green feed, Sudan grass is an excellent high-yield green feed forage.
Sudan grass is a new variety bred from the hybridization of sorghum and Sudan grass, inheriting the combined advantages of both, such as thick stems, wide leaves, and high yield, with strong tillering and regenerative abilities, hence it is also known as hybrid king grass.
So, when is the best time to sow Sudan grass? How to plant it for high yield? Today, I will introduce to you:
I. Sowing Key Points:
1. Sowing period: The minimum suitable temperature for sowing Sudan grass is around 12-15 degrees Celsius (this is particularly important), suitable for spring sowing, during Qingming to Guyu period is ideal, including summer sowing is possible, but not winter sowing. Deeply plow the land before sowing, apply sufficient organic fertilizer, and it can also be mixed with legume forage.
2. Sowing method: Sudan grass can be sown in rows, hills, or broadcast, mainly using row sowing and hill sowing. The sowing depth is 2-3 centimeters, row spacing 20-30 cm, plant spacing 5-8 cm, hill sowing with 2-3 seeds. The sowing rate is 2 kg per mu. In irrigation areas, 2 kg of seeds are used for point (row) sowing, while 2.5 kg can be used for broadcast sowing (do not use for machine harvesting).
When to Sow Sudan Grass
II. Field Management:
1. Fertilization, thinning: Before sowing, the land should be carefully prepared and sufficient base fertilizer (3-5000 kg/mu of organic fertilizer) should be applied. After seedlings emerge, thinning and finalizing the seedlings should be carried out according to the required density. Depending on the utilization method, 50,000 to 80,000 seedlings can be left per 667 square meters.
Quality Sudan grass seeds:
2. Cutting time and frequency: For green feed, the first cutting should be done around 50 days after emergence, when the plant height is between 80 cm to 150 cm. Early cutting results in low yield and contains hydrocyanic acid, which can easily cause poisoning. If Sudan grass grows too tall, the stems tend to lignify, affecting palatability. Subsequent cuttings can be done every 25 days or so. A year can have 3-8 cuttings. For silage, the first cutting should be done 60-80 days after emergence, when the plant height is 150 cm. Late cutting affects regrowth. Subsequent cuttings can be done every 30-40 days. Generally, silage can be cut 2-4 times a year.
3. Plant management: To ensure high fresh grass yield throughout the year, the stubble height after each cutting should not be too low, usually 10-15 cm is ideal, ensuring that 1-2 nodes remain above the ground.
Top dressing should be done after each cutting, usually with 8-10 kg of urea per 667 square meters. After emergence, the land should be cultivated 1-2 times, and weeds should be removed promptly after each cutting.
What is important to note about Sudan grass is that it can be used for green feed or silage, and can also be processed into hay. For green feed, it can be cut and placed for 6-12 hours before feeding, allowing hydrocyanic acid to volatilize naturally, making it safe to feed.
The above content about when to sow Sudan grass and related methods to increase yield brought by the Green Plant Enthusiast website can be used for reference by green plant enthusiasts.