Egyptian Wheat

[buckihunter302]

So the farmer that will be planting row crops on the farm my wife and I just bought this year doesn't seem too pleased that I planted egyptian wheat around my food plot. He mentioned that he hopes it isn't like shattercane or it'll create a problem. In all the reading I did before painting, I never came across anything that suggested that EW could be invasive. I tried to explain that to him, but I'm not sure he took me seriously. Any thoughts from those with experience planting it?

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[Buckly]

I’ve never seen it anywhere I that I didn’t plant it. he’s talking about bamboo or something. Some tips though, if you’re going to plant it in the same spot year after year. brush hog down as soon as season is over or early spring. That gives it a chance to break down and not so much trash to deal with. Also it uses up a lot of nutrients so amend well every year. I plant mine 12 ft wide and try and move it over 12ft every other year just so it’s not on the same ground every year but, many times do put it in the same spot with no problems if amending well.

 

[X-farmerdan]

It's no more invasive than plain 'ol wheat. Sometime if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck - it isn't a duck.

 

[Drycreek]

I planted it three years in a row until I saw that the hogs weren't gonna leave it alone. It doesn't grow where it's not planted in my experience.

 

[buckihunter302]

Thank you for confirming what I already thought. I only plan to plant it one more year. I plan to establish switchgrass next year and will still plant the EW around the edges. Once the SG has had a year to establish, I don't think I'll need the EW.

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[bigbluetruck]

I’ve never seen it anywhere I that I didn’t plant it. he’s talking about bamboo or something. Some tips though, if you’re going to plant it in the same spot year after year. brush hog down as soon as season is over or early spring. That gives it a chance to break down and not so much trash to deal with. Also it uses up a lot of nutrients so amend well every year. I plant mine 12 ft wide and try and move it over 12ft every other year just so it’s not on the same ground every year but, many times do put it in the same spot with no problems if amending well.

The farmer has a right to be worried about Shattercane, http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/WEEDS/shattercane.html, its a very invasive species that's closely related to sorghum and corn. It is a grass so only grass herbicides work on it and only certain ones. Its not as big of a problem now with RR corn, and we don't raise milo anymore so its a few and far between problem.