Japanese millet can also be used for a cover crop, forage and grazing, and many types of wildlife besides birds.

• Upright, warm-season, summer annal grass that grows 3 to 5 ft tall
• Quick germination and emergence in 3-5 days under ideal growing conditions
• Tolerates wet soils prone to flooding or ponding better than other millets
• Excellent at scavenging nitrogen and preventing erosion
• Finer stems than pearl millet or sorghums, great for grazing
• Wait to plant until soil is 65 degrees Fahrenheit

Seeding Rate: 25 - 35 lbs per acre

White Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum) - Proso millet is one of the most drought tolerant and cost effective warm season annual grasses that produces large amounts of grain. It is the shortest growing millet and works best in grazing mixes the northern US. Proso millet is an excellent seed producing making it is a great plant for game bird or other wildlife mixes. It performs well in mixes for wildlife cover and is popular for dove, quail, turkey and duck fields. It is also sued as feed for cattle or forage for deer and rabbits.

Proso millet is also a gluten-free, drought-tolerant ancient grain used for human food and birdseed. Known for its mild, nutty flavor and quick cooking time. It's rich in protein, fiber, and minerals, making it a nutritious alternative to rice or quinoa, suitable for dishes like porridge, pilafs, and salads, and it thrives in warm, dry climates where other crops struggle.

Another great use of proso millet is as a cover crop. It is a fast-growing ideal as a short-term summer cover crop (60 – 90 days) for soil protection, weed suppression, and erosion control. It thrives in dry conditions, requiring low moisture to grow 3 - 6 feet tall, and is an excellent option for breaking up crop rotations to improve soil health.

• Application or Use: Cover Crop, Erosion Control, Cattle Forage, Livestock Grazing, Food Plot
• Germination Time: 5 - 7 days, under optimal conditions
• Growing Locations: Warm Season, Transition Zone, Cool Season
• Height: 3 - 6 feet
• Sunlight Requirements: 8+ hours, full sun for best results
• Advantages: Increased drought tolerance; high seed producer under hot, dry conditions.
• When to Plant: Recommend planting time is spring and summer when night time temperatures are consistently 65+ degrees.
• Maturity: 60 - 90 days
• Seeding Rate: 20 lbs per acre

German Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica) - German Millet is a fast growing, warm-season annual grass and a foxtail type millet. German Millet is a fine-stemmed, leafy variety that is commonly planted as a single-cut hay millet and used for forage and birdseed. German Millet is quick maturing and works excellent in double cropping scenarios where time becomes limiting for the second crop. It can be ready to cut for hay in as little as 60 days from planting. It produces hay that will cure easily and be highly palatable for livestock. German Foxtail Millet is extremely drought tolerant and will grow rapidly during hot summer conditions reaching heights of 2 - 5 feet. It does well in light soils due to its high level of water efficiency.

Harvest can be delayed until millet is more mature, but palatability declines significantly with mature seedheads. Millets are less likely to have high levels of nitrates than other warm-season forages such as sorghum. Under drought conditions, nitrate levels may rise and caution should be used if haying or grazing.

• Forage/Hay: It is a single-cut crop that does not easily regrow after harvest. It should be cut for hay in the early head stage for best quality.
• Planting: Plant in late spring or early summer when soil temperatures are 60F or higher. Seeding rate is generally 20 - 30 lbs per acre, drilled 1/2 – 3/4 inch deep.
• Soil: Prefers well-drained soils with a pH of 5.5 – 7.0.
• Caution: Not recommended for horses as it can cause kidney and joint issues.
• Wildlife: Excellent for attracting birds, including quails and pheasants, and for food plots.