It's Millet Time!

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:24 pm

My millet crop is harvested for this year and many of them got to be a good size. I have one grocery bag full and the Finches are already feasting on them today.

Growing time is short here in MN and some did not fill out but I got enough for the winter I think.

Here are a couple pics of a few of them and one with my Senegal staking claim on the biggest spray...hehe!

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:50 pm

You grew those?! WOW! I'm very impressed - they look great! Okay give - how'd you do it?

FinchMommy · Post by **FinchMommy** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 9:47 pm

Can you grow millet on a balcony? If so I may have to try..... though I'm not exactly a green thumb.....

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:15 am

nice crop

pick a few before they ripen next year ( green seed) and make them available to your birds, they will love it.
I always have green millet sprays in the freezer, lasts for months, most times I let it thaw in the sun for an hour before putting it in the aviary although in summer I do make it available straight from the freezer.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:08 am

I tried that this summer, but mine did not grow but VERY small.

I did buy a hugh box of it at a bird mart 5 months ago. It cost me fifty bucks, but I still have enough for about another month or so. I make it available at all times in my bird room. What a mess it is.

Good job on your crop!

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 12:31 pm

Thanks for the comments! I didn't think this stuff would grow very well here but it seems to do pretty good. Last year the sprays were mostly smaller so each year is different depending on the weather.

We had a great Cranberry crop and Wild Grape crop this year too. The wild birds are constantly crashing into the windows after gorging on the grapes....guess they shouldn't "drink & fly"...lol.

LIZ...Here is what I did:

I just took some seeds from the millet I had bought in the store. Then just sowed them in a shallow row in the garden and covered them up lightly. When they turn golden brown I will test the seeds by eating a few of them to see if they are filled out. The plant stalks get to be about 3ft tall in my garden. I leave them until a first hard frost then the birds seem to go at them like crazy so I get them out of the garden before all the wild birds get it all...hehe. But I do leave a few stalks there for them.

When you buy millet sprays it would be a good idea to try to sprout some to see that the seeds are viable. If nothing sprouts then there is no nutritional value for your bird.....it would be like feeding him cardboard.

FinchMommy...I would think you could grow it in a pot but it must have all day sun...just like all garden vegetables or it may not grow much or even head out. Ideally you would ideally need 8 to 10 hours of sun every day to get the best growth. But just try it next spring and see how it grows!

MickP....thanks for the idea I will try that!

Post by **Sally** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:57 pm

Great thread!! I never thought about growing my own spray millet, but it is definitely cheaper, and you know they are fresh. Can't wait for spring to get mine started!

And I would never have thought about freezing green sprays. Can you also freeze the ripened sprays to keep them fresh?

Thanks, FeatherHarp and mickp, for the great info!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 2:20 pm

Sally, When I bought my huge box I asked about freezing it and was told that it wasn't really necessary because it stayed fresh for at least one year. Don't know if that is true or not......

cntrymeadow · Post by **cntrymeadow** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:33 pm

Beautiful!!!
didnt really think about growing it myself but Im going to give it a try next spring.
Problem though is that we also feed the outside birds (we have TONS) so I may have to protect the millet a bit!

poohbear · Post by **poohbear** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 3:58 pm

Got a bit growing in the back garden...coming along nicely...

I WISH!!!

Not in our ruddy climate unfortunately...

gomer · Post by **gomer** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:45 am

[/img]I would like to see you harvest that lot pooh.lol.After I finish my winnowing,I throw my husk out to the wild birds.There is always a small amount of seed in it,which the wild ones miss a bit and grows.I don't get enough though so I will have to put in a crop.

phoebefinch · Post by **phoebefinch** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:03 am

I tried growing it once, back when I had lovebirds, but the darn wild birds made short work of it! How did you prevent this? I'm thinking of building a small greenhouse next year, so maybe I'll try again.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 3:35 pm

phoebefinch wrote: I tried growing it once, back when I had lovebirds, but the darn wild birds made short work of it! How did you prevent this?

We just watch the millet as it gets close to ripening and when the birds start really eating them we take them in.

I figure the birds know when the millet is ripe better than I do!

Also I don't know if it makes any difference but I buy the large golden spray millet to get the seeds from. There are other millet brands out there but they are smaller and a different variety. The large golden spray seems to grow nicely for me here in Minnesota at least. Other varieties may do better in different climates.

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:57 am

I stole some of "she who must be obeyed's" plant pots and potting soil threw in a couple of handfulls of seed and 3 months later was harvesting it. luckily for me no wild birds in the back yard, dog keeps them away

having just completed building a shadehouse I plan to sneak some seed's into the well fertilised ground. shadehouse is 9m x 6m so I dont think I'll be told to get out

Sally there is no need to freeze ripe millet spray's, just make sure that you move them around(rotate the ones at the bottom of the container to the top) every few days (if you have lots) doing this helps to stop any moulds or bacteria