Millet question

What is the latest that you've ever planted Jap Millet that it worked out?

By no fault of my own I was late in getting a pond leased a couple of weeks ago. I immediately went out with a 50 lb bag of millet and planted it on a mud flat.

I went out today to check up on it and it has only grown a couple inches. I expected it to be more like 5 or 6 after two weeks. I'm wondering if it is just too late or my expectations are too high.

On the plus side, there were 30 BWT on the pond all morning. By far the most I've ever seen out there at one time in the last 5 years.

We usually plant in april-may...and from what i have seen you are expecting too much in too short of time but thats just my experience. It will keep growing as long as you dont get a hard cold front or water over the top of it.

I have seen jap millet make in 45 days. It was stunted to about 5 inches and each head only made 15 to 35 seeds. It only has till we get a frost.

I planted mine Aug 1st and this is what it looks like. Normally takes 60 days to mature.

also as the ground gets cooler Jap millet grows slower and slower.

Tryed foxtail?

I think anything after 1st week in Sep is too late, it knows the shorter days and never really developes fully. Lots of rain and sun tho and it sure can take off like crazy if planted late Aug/early Sep.

Another inch of rain last night and temps are supposed to dip down to the 40's next week. Ain't lookin good. Oh well, it was worth a try. Luckily there are other groceries already there.

When I saw the water level low on the north end of the pond exposing a big mud flat I couldn't help but try. Too perfect a setup.

Hey, something is better than nothing. If it just reaches a few inches you've given good cover for snails and other invertebrates that are great duck food. Like you said, when the water gets that low it's hard not to do something.

I have a bag of millet that I was going to plant but with the lack of rain I didn't even bother - will it keep until next year?

Yes but Your germination rate will drop about 10 percent.

Is it okay to just store it in the garage?

It has to be somewhere it WONT get wet and mice cant cut the bag.

I thought you couldn't hunt over millet in the same year you planted it?

Page 7:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_k0700_1014.pdf

If you do not "manipulated" it you can, see thread below...

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2528450/1

Hmmm. Just got my first lease up near Bonham. One of the guys on there with me has been hunting ducks for 40 years. He says no way you can plant jap millet and hunt in the same year. This will be an interesting discussion. :-). Thanks for the thread!