Milo, commonly known as grain sorghum, is a warm-season annual grain that has become a reliable staple for deer management, particularly in late-season food plots. This crop produces a dense seed head high in energy, making it an excellent food source when other forage options have dwindled. The success of a milo plot depends entirely on precise planting timing, which ensures the grain matures fully before the first hard frost arrives.
Why Milo is an Effective Deer Food Source
Milo provides a high-carbohydrate food source, useful for deer seeking energy to sustain them through the cold winter months. The grain is often left alone during the summer, unlike highly palatable legumes, reserving the food for the late fall and early winter hunting season. Taller varieties create dense security cover, allowing deer to feed with less exposure and providing thermal protection from wind and snow. The rigid stalks hold the seed heads upright, keeping the grain elevated above the snow line and accessible when ground forage is buried.
Determining Optimal Planting Windows
The most crucial factor for planting milo is ensuring the soil temperature is consistently at least 60°F, with 65°F being ideal for rapid and uniform germination. Planting when the soil is too cold risks poor emergence and makes the young seedlings susceptible to disease and competition from weeds. Since milo varieties require between 85 and 125 days to reach full maturity, the planting date must be backward-calculated from the expected date of the first killing frost. Planting too late severely risks the crop not reaching the hard-dough stage necessary for a usable late-season food source.
In the Deep South and along the Gulf Coast, the planting window typically opens in late April and extends through early June. Moving into the Mid-South and Transition Zone, the best time to plant is generally from May 1st to mid-June. For Northern States and the upper Midwest, planting should be pushed to late May or early June, using early-maturing varieties to beat the early fall frost.
Essential Preparation and Planting Procedures
A successful milo plot begins with a soil test to determine nutrient needs and pH levels. Grain sorghum prefers a slightly acidic to neutral soil, performing best when the pH is maintained between 6.0 and 7.0. Milo is a heavy nitrogen user, so fertilizer applications should focus on providing adequate nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as indicated by the soil test results.
The seedbed should be firm, clean, and free of weeds, as young milo plants are poor competitors against established vegetation. A clean seedbed can be achieved by using a herbicide burn-down a few weeks before planting, followed by light disking or harrowing. Planting depth is important for successful emergence and should be a precise one to one-and-a-half inches deep.
Seeding rates for food plots are often higher than for commercial agriculture. A broadcast rate of 10 to 16 pounds per acre is typical, while drilling allows for a reduced rate of 5 to 8 pounds per acre.
Management for Late-Season Forage
The management goal after establishment is to ensure the grain is available when natural food sources are scarce, requiring the crop to stand untouched. Once the milo has germinated and reached six to eight inches tall, a side-dressing of nitrogen can be applied to maximize grain production. The seed heads mature and dry down in the late summer and early fall, signaling a usable winter food source.
The grain is most attractive to deer after a few hard frosts have passed, which can enhance palatability by reducing tannin levels. Leaving the tall stalks intact provides both the food and the cover deer need during cold weather. This standing grain plot draws deer during the rifle and late archery seasons when they are seeking high-energy winter food.