Crop Talk for Farmers on the Forum

[M. R. Byrd]

As for my food plot area I think I'm going to do about 5 acres of Maxamillon Sunflowers and let the other 7 acres or so go idle this year and see what grows on it--maybe just plain old weeds--lol

Is this going to be a permanent food plot with the Maximillian sunflowers? They develop a rhizome root system and can be there for the duration. I have them interseeded in my CRP grass and they are very good and can get 8 to 10 foot tall in moist years. I was doing some dirt work yesterday repairing a low spot in a terrace and was tearing out big rhizome balls from Maximillian sunflowers that was planted ten years ago.

 

[UGUIDE]

Is this going to be a permanent food plot with the Maximillian sunflowers? They develop a rhizome root system and can be there for the duration. I have them interseeded in my CRP grass and they are very good and can get 8 to 10 foot tall in moist years. I was doing some dirt work yesterday repairing a low spot in a terrace and was tearing out big rhizome balls from Maximillian sunflowers that was planted ten years ago.

Maynard, what is a rhizome ball?

 

[M. R. Byrd]

Maynard, what is a rhizome ball?

That what I call what I was digging out yesterday with the scoop of the tractor. The MS develop a rhizome system like an iris flower and last for what I can tell forever. I planted the MS as seed when I interseeded the CRP grass. I transplant some of the plants to my house flower beds by digging up the rhizome. The MS is a great plant in my opinion.

 

[mnmthunting]

Do you have a picture of the MS? This is a perennial, does it produce seed something like the annual wild sunflower?

 

[SDJIM]

Is this going to be a permanent food plot with the Maximillian sunflowers? They develop a rhizome root system and can be there for the duration. I have them interseeded in my CRP grass and they are very good and can get 8 to 10 foot tall in moist years. I was doing some dirt work yesterday repairing a low spot in a terrace and was tearing out big rhizome balls from Maximillian sunflowers that was planted ten years ago.

Yes I'm going to try and establish a permanent sun flower area. Have you had any problems with the Maximillian sunflower becoming invasive and at what rate would you plant it at?

 

[M. R. Byrd]

Pics-

In these pics you see a wild sunflower plant by itself, then a row of maximian sunflower(It has a long leaf about like a peach tree). Also some clover in the picture, both white and yellow and some Illinois bundleflower.

I don't have a clue to seeding rates for a solid stand. The seeds are tiny(maybe 1/8" long) and expensive. Seeds that small require just a little soil cover. I would probably broadcast then run a cultipacker over the seed bed.

 

[mnmthunting]

Maynard, interesting thanks for the info.

 

[M. R. Byrd]

That stand of forbs is about 8 years old. I maintain annual food plots in the terrace channels of my CRP and this stand of forbs is along the edge where they have done well, except for last year with the drought.