Sorghum is a popular and effective warm-season option for creating food plots for whitetail deer. This grain provides both a high-carbohydrate food source and dense, vertical cover that deer utilize for bedding. The success of a sorghum plot hinges upon correct timing, ensuring the plant reaches maturity when deer need food most. Sorghum’s adaptability and drought tolerance make it a reliable choice where other crops may struggle.
Selecting the Best Sorghum Variety
The first step is differentiating between the primary types of sorghum available for deer plots. Grain sorghum, often called milo, is the variety best suited for food plots. It is bred to be shorter, typically reaching three to five feet, and focuses on producing large, accessible seed heads. Forage sorghum is much taller, sometimes exceeding ten feet, and is selected for maximum biomass and cover, but its smaller seed heads are often out of a deer’s reach.
The maturity length of the chosen variety directly dictates the required planting date. Varieties are classified by the number of days they take to mature, ranging from 90-day to 120-day options. Select a variety with good stalk strength to resist lodging, which is the tendency for the plant to fall over. This allows the grain to remain accessible to deer and reduces spoilage.
Determining the Optimal Planting Window
The planting date must be determined by two environmental factors: minimum soil temperature and the date of the first expected frost. Sorghum is a warm-season grass requiring consistently warm soil for rapid and uniform germination. The soil temperature, measured at a two-inch depth, should be at least 60°F to 65°F and rising over several days.
Planting below this threshold results in poor, uneven stands because slow germination makes the seed vulnerable to disease and pests. This window opens in late April or early May in the Deep South, and in late May or early June in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions.
The second factor involves counting backward from the target utilization date, usually early fall. To ensure the grain is mature before the first killing frost, use the variety’s specific maturity window to calculate the latest safe planting date. For instance, a variety with a 100-day maturity period must be planted at least 100 days before the average first frost date. This calculation ensures the crop fully develops its seed heads, providing the high-carbohydrate food source for the hunting season.
Site Preparation and Execution
A successful sorghum stand requires attention to soil chemistry and proper planting mechanics. Sorghum performs best in soil with a pH range between 5.8 and 6.8. A soil test should be conducted in advance to allow time for necessary lime applications. Sorghum is a nitrogen-hungry crop and benefits from a custom fertilizer blend based on the soil test results.
The correct planting depth is important for proper emergence, with the seed placed between one and one-and-a-half inches deep. Planting too deep hinders the seedling’s ability to reach the surface, while planting too shallow risks drying out the seed before germination. Good seed-to-soil contact is necessary for uniform emergence, often achieved by using a cultipacker or roller immediately after planting.
Weed control is important, as young sorghum plants are susceptible to competition in their early growth stages. Applying a pre-emergent herbicide is an effective strategy to manage grass and broadleaf weeds immediately following planting. Maintaining a weed-free seedbed allows the sorghum seedlings to establish quickly, which is essential for a dense, high-yielding food plot.