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Egyptian Wheat

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I wanted to share a few photo's of an egyptian wheat planting designed to create additional screening and edge in somewhat open terrain.

I was pleased with the effectiveness and deer usage through the middle of November yet as you can see the high winds and snow did knock down much of the planting - as seen in the second set of snow pictures.

Here are a few pictures from Nov 12th ...

Buck_1_checking_does_in_turnips_-_3_November_12_08.jpg


Buck_2_moving_towards_south_draw_below_turnips_-_1_November_12_08.jpg


Buck_2_moving_towards_south_draw_below_turnips_-_2_November_12_08.jpg


These are from Nov 30th

Deer_coming_from_the_west_-_2_November_30_08.jpg



Fawns_in_turnips_November_30_08.jpg


The deer like to eat it as well ...

Snacking_on_egyptian_wheat_November_30_08.jpg
 
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The deer like to eat it as well ...



Sweet!

Dang it nanny...where's mine??;)
 
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What time of year did you plant that so it was mature by fall?

That's a good idea! I take it Egyptian wheat gets much taller than typical winter wheat?
 
Great pictures, Im planning on planting Egyptian wheat and sorghum together this spring and cant find a link pertaining to herbicids for Egyptian Wheat, does anybody have one, or does anyone know what herbicids will work for both. Thanks
 
What time of year did you plant that so it was mature by fall?

That's a good idea! I take it Egyptian wheat gets much taller than typical winter wheat?




Egyptian wheat is not wheat at all but rather a type of sorghum.

It has a 120-150 day growing season so plant in May for most of us.


Great pictures, Im planning on planting Egyptian wheat and sorghum together this spring and cant find a link pertaining to herbicids for Egyptian Wheat, does anybody have one, or does anyone know what herbicids will work for both. Thanks


Atrazine will work as a herbicide at roughly 2 quarts/pounds per acre.

I think if you give it a heavy does of Nitrogen it will grow so fast and thick that weeds will not be a problem however.

Plant EW at 10#'s per acre by either broadcasting or drilling.

Soybeans make a good addition to an EW planting especially climbing soys.

Fertilize with 200-300 triple 19 or 100#'s of 46-0-0 urea for strong lush growth.

Planting Egyptian Wheat For Bobwhite Quail

Egyptian Wheat Seed Source

Egyptian Wheat - Cooper seed

Egyptian Wheat (Shallu) - Adams - Briscoe Seed Company
 
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I planted several strips of Egyptian Wheat on May 11th and 12th so we'll see how it does.

EgyptianWheat.jpg


The following is planting info from Cooper Seeds:

Egyptian Wheat

Description
Egyptian wheat produces long, slender stalks that reach 7 to 10 feet in height. The loose seed heads are borne on light, drooping stems clustered at the top of the plants. The rounded, slightly flattened seeds are smaller than most other grain sorghum seeds and are enclosed by light husks. Egyptian wheat matures at 120 to 140 days.


Value To Quail
Several characteristics of Egyptian wheat make it ideally suited as a food and cover plant for quail. Unlike other grain sorghums, Egyptian wheat is not prone to damage by flocks of blackbirds. Its spindly seed heads prevent blackbirds and other relatively large birds from perching on the upper stems to eat the seeds.

Egyptian wheat mature s late, and its seeds last into late winter, when native foods of quail are scarce. Quail will begin using Egyptian wheat seeds as soon as they mature, but quail probably benefit most from these seeds during late fall and winter.

The tall growth structure of the plants provides protective cover where quail can feed while remaining safe from detection or successful attack by predators. Its growth form also provides good cover for young quail.

Deer damage to t he plant is usually not a problem. Although deer will eat Egyptian wheat seed heads, use by deer is not excessive, except in years of poor acorn production

Establishment
Plot Selection. Egyptian wheat grows best on fertile, well-drained sites receiving full or lightly filtered sunlight. It is suited to all regions of Alabama, but it grows poorly in deep, excessively drained, sandy soils.

Plots should be located in or near good quail cover. Good locations include fields, field edges, utility right-of-ways, and forest openings.

Plot Size. Well-managed plots of 1/10 to 1/4 acre are large enough to supplement native foods of quail. Long, relatively narrow plots are preferable to other shapes. Plots should be at least 15 feet, but not more than 25 feet, in width for efficient bird dog work and hunting.

Soil Preparation. Thoroughly disk the plots well before planting. Harrow plots no later than late April to avoid destroying quail nests.

Planting Dates. Plant Egyptian wheat after all danger of frost has past, but before June 1. The best dates for planting Egyptian wheat in Alabama are from April 15 to May 15.

Planting Methods. Egyptian wheat seed should be planted in rows spaced 3 feet apart. Broadcast planting is usually unsatisfactory. Plant 4 to 6 pounds of seed per acre. The best production generally occurs at lower rates (4 pounds per acre). The ideal spacing for the plants leaves about 3 to 4 inches between adjacent plants in the row.

Fertilizing. Fertilize plots according to soil-test recommendations. If the soil is not tested, apply about 400 pounds of 5-10-10 or its equivalent per acre.

Side-dressing is necessary for good seed production. Side-dress with 75 to 100 pounds of ammonium nitrate per acre when plants reach 15 to 25 inches in height. If weed control by cultivation is needed, side-dress during the last cultivation.


Maintenance
Although some seeds from the last growing season may sprout and produce seeds the following year, Egyptian wheat plots should be replanted each year. The same plots may be planted in successive years, but repeated plantings usually require cultivation for weed control

I had to broadcast it and hopefully didn't get it to thick. Both areas had not been tilled in years and the ground was really to wet but I stirred it up and planted anyway.

EgyptianWheatSeed.jpg


TillingforEW.jpg


I tilled in roughly 40#'s per acre of urea

Urea.jpg
 
Then we sprayed on atrazine at roughly 2 quarts per acre

Jesssprayingatrazine.jpg


Besides the tiller I used only a backpack sprayer and a bag seeder

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Curious if I can not only create a screen but also a funnel

May1209EWplanting.jpg


This area is already a "tree screen" in progress but the EW will help block road views until the shrubs mature.

TilledforEW.jpg



I have one more strip to do but I'm going to wait a few weeks and see if warmer soils have much effect on germination and growth as it does for milo.
 
The Egyptian Wheat is coming up...here's pics from a couple different plots, the first i didn't have a cultipacker available and germination seems more spotty and uneven.

EgyptianWheatPlanting.jpg


New seedling I pulled up showing the seed

EWseedling.jpg


We used atrazine so pretty much the only thing coming up is EW

EWcomingup.jpg



You can see the "lines" from the packer wheels here

EgyptianWheat5-29-09.jpg


and the plants are much thicker...perhaps too thick

EWseedlings-1.jpg


I tilled in urea and with good residual weed control via the atrazine the Egyptian Wheat should make an awesome screen and possible even a funnel if I did things right...;)
 
This is my EW on June 10th, gonna check on it again in a few days, we've had so much rain I haven't been able to get within a country mile of the place! :rolleyes::D


6-10-09EW.jpg
 
Some Egyptian Wheat updates from mid June thru early July.

Mid June...

This pic shows EW planted thinner which is generally better for tall robust growth.

EWsowedthinner.jpg


This side I purposefully sowed it thicker to compare growth and screening this fall.

EWsowedheaver.jpg


We had extreme amounts of water all spring and theis EW is on low ground so it's a bit yellow in these pics.

EWLateJune.jpg


I used plenty of urea but heavy rains can cause leaching and denitrification of nitrogen as is evidident on much of SE Iowa's corn ground this summer.

EWJune26.jpg


These pics are on higher ground in early July and this pic shows a little better spacing

EWatWalts7-3.jpg


These pics are at my place where it was slightly higher ground and growth was much better where the EW wasn't in such soggy soil

WaisthighEWinJuly.jpg


July3rdEgyptianWheat.jpg


I think growth will really pickup as warm summer weather does and the EW isn't in standing water! :)
 
Late July and the egyptian wheat is putting on some growth!

Egyptianwheat7-24.jpg


We watched a fawn slip down through this stuff that also makes some great quail and pheasant cover.

This pic shows how the well the atrazine controlled weeds

EWwithatrazine.jpg


EW can handle some weed growth and a mix of broadleaves and and the wheat can make for some great game bird food and cover:way:
 
I may have to get some of that stuff!!! Looks great and must be in the corn family since it looks like corn and can handle atrazine.
 
how much does a bag run ya roughly??

We had to order it from Cooper Seeds where it was $56 for 50#'s but cost all most as much in shipping! :eek: :D

You can order 10#'s for $15.50 though and let me tell ya...10#'s will go along long way!!! :grin:

If anybody knows of a closer source in our area I'll be happy to post it here as well. :)
 
August 6th...egyptian wheat progress...first picture is setting in the truck to give an idea of the screen it is starting to provide.

EgyptianWheatScreen.jpg


It's getting up there! Lot's of rain this summer is keeping it growing!

8-06-09EgyptianWheat.jpg


This is standing in it holding the camera at eye level

EyeLevel.jpg


Planted along side a shrub planting the two can make a great protective screen and/or travel route

EWgrowth.jpg


Seeding to heavy is a mistake but easy to do! I seeded one side heavy to compare and it looks like this

Thickseeded.jpg


While the other at closer to 10#'s an acre is taller and more robust

ThinSeeded.jpg


Since the whole idea here is to get height for screening purposes we don't want to overseed and stunt growth.

This shows heavy seeding left and normal seeding right

Seedingratecomparison.jpg


Great stuff that is multi purpose for screening, travel corridors, safety around food plots, quail and pheasant cover and a late season food source...:way:
 
The Egyptian Wheat just keeps growing!

EWScreen.jpg


EgyptianWheat8-21-09.jpg


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I tried to get pics to show height compared to shrub plantings

EWnexttoshrubplanting.jpg


In this pic there is some 8' high Big Blustem growing right beside the shortest of the EW where I puposely planted it thicker.

EWnexttoBigBluestem.jpg


You can see the thick planting on the left is shorter then the normal seeded EW on the right

ThickleftNormalRight.jpg


The thick planting is really to dense for wildlife use, doesn't grow as tall and isn't going to produce the seed heads that the normally planted EW is

Thick.jpg


Even the side planted at 10#'s per acre is plenty thick!

Thin.jpg


Great stuff to plant in conjuction with a young tree planting to provide screening while the trees are still growing...:way:
 
Will this come back volunteer next year? My landowner wouldn't smile upon something that would keep showing up in his fields for years.....
 
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