Topic: White popping Sorghum

[goodlife]

Right then...I've been trying to find info, how to get on with these seed that I got from one of the swaps here...but very little growing info is availabe unless you are farmer.. ::) I've only got small pinch so farmers info is not relevant.
What I really want to know is...do I treat the seedlings as any other..'sow and prick out'..do they mind disturbance? Or do I need to sow them individually and grow on without pricking out?
Straight into ground?.. :-\...I'm sure our recident mice woud love that.. ::)
If I start sowing now..is that too early? What kind of distance between plants I'm having to plant them?..I asume they grow into BIG plants?

[goodlife]

BUMP!  ;D
I have found out some info myself now..such as they like warm temperatures and are grown like maize. So, it might be too early to sow them yet.
Any experiences of this crop?....anybody?

[chriscross1966]

New one on me... I recognise the name from paleontological texts as they're generally mentioned as one of the earliest plants cultivated along with millet and emmer....

[star]

Ive never heard of it GL, but let us know how you get on :)

Good luck  ;)

[Jayb]

Missed this. I found sowing at around same time as sweet corn worked, maybe a little earlier. I used individual cell trays placed in a heated propagator. As they got larger I just popped them into a slightly bigger pot before planting out. I grew Sweet Sorghum last time and it was a good 6 foot, I've not sown my Popping S yet but it does sound fun. Let us know how you get on  ;D

[pumkinlover]

why do I keep thing this is about spaghnum moss ::)

[goodlife]

Thanks Jayb. I keep finding little snippets of info on net...but common 'theme' seem to be that they need heat..more than maize to produce a crop.
So that got me thinking that perharps I could grow them in large pots that are grown quite close together in GH. Apparantely they don't mind dry conditions.
Now I'm wondering how big root system they have and what size pot I can get away with... ???
OHHH..looks like this is going to be totally experimental 'crop'.. ::)
But, I shall do as you've done..start them off as individual plants in small modules and keep potting on... ;)..and work from that.


This 'experiment' may well end up being spaghnum moss.. :-\

[Jayb]

I don't know about this particular variety, no instructions on the packet or site, but they should be able to produce seed outside in a good summer. They might be a bit too tall for inside especially grown in a pot. First time I grew some was in a polytunnel and they were to the top and bent over a foot or so  ;D

[goodlife]

Code: [Select]

they should be able to produce seed outside in a good summer. "cough".. ::)..one should hope for the good summer then.. ::) It is b***er if it turns out being nice summer with all that watering..and its b***er if its not for not being sunny/warm enough..can't win.. ;D
Head height is not problem in my 'big' greenhouse..I might just try few plants there and plonk rest outside. Providing that I get plenty of plants out of my pinch of seeds.
Apparently they are self fertilizing..I tried to search for any info for what quantity of plants is needed for preventing any problems with possible seed saving and couldn't find any exact info.  So regarding what I did find..if few plants manage to produce..it should be enough for future generations.

[Jayb]

I'm just looking through Sand Hill Preservation  Center's catalogue,as a guide they list the different types of sorghum (grain, broom, popping and sweet shorghum) from 90-130 days. Plant after frost and once soil has warmed. Plant 3 to 4 per foot of row. No mention of how far apart to do the rows. 

[goodlife]

Code: [Select]

Plant 3 to 4 per foot of row. Thats quite close planting.. :-\
Kokopelli book has some info but it is all about pollination.
Thanks for looking into it....that little bit is a big help and I have now some sort of idea of how much space they might need.