Question About Milo (Sorghum)

[MarcoPollo]

There are about 6 milo stalks growing in my yard. I never planted them and guess that they are there because some chicken scratch settled behind the chicken coop and started to grow. I thought they were corn stalks at first so I let them grow. The grains are now mostly green but turning red too. Can I feed these to my chickens? Is there any way I can dry them so that I can keep some of it for later?

 

[Bethel3330]

I've heard you can feed it. There might be some threads on here about it. I grew some intentionally, along with sunflower, in our garden to harvest for our wild birds.

 

[Den in Penn]

If you think it came in the scratch then they have already eaten it. Some scratch may have many different grains in it, milo is among them. You can save it for latter by cutting it when its is finished ripening and dry. Strip the grain and store as you would any grain. Or hang the heads and feed heads to the chickens and let them strip it.

 

[res]

You'll want to leave it on the stalk until it is dark golden red brown color. Hard to say *exactly* what color it will be, because there are different varieties. You'll want the stalk to be yellow/tan and dried out before you harvest it. Don't cut it when it is green.

Most milo isn't ready to harvest until fall, but it is hard knowing exactly when yours will be ready since you don't know when it germinated. But I am betting it will still be a while before it is ready to cut.

 

[Bethel3330]

I'm not the OP, but thank you for that. Very helpful! I checked in on mine today and it's only about 10 inches tall, will definitely be fall for ours.

 

[LindaB220]

I'm not the OP, but thank you for that. Very helpful! I checked in on mine today and it's only about 10 inches tall, will definitely be fall for ours.

How long to you think it was when it was germinated. I live in La and we have 252 days between frosts. Do you think I have time before mid Nov when it starts frosting? All those days sound great don't they? But it was about 100 today and gonna be that way for a while, couple of months. It's a trade off.

 

[Bethel3330]

I think we planted ours the first or second week of June. That and sunflowers are the last thing we got around to. I'd certainly go for it, just keep them watered until they germinate.
I do not envy you. Lol

 

[MarcoPollo]

Thank you everyone for the info! I will wait to harvest my little stalks of milo. They are still mostly green.