green seed

[Tiaris]

Quinoa has natural tannins in it which deter birds. These same tannins need to be reduced/eliminated to make it palatable to humans by soaking/sprouting it. So beware it may be unpalatable to birds unless sprouted.

[Diane]

If I grow the quinoa and feed it when its seeds are still green would you think that would avoid the build up of the tannins you mentioned?

[maz]

I recently tried Quinoa from the health food section of the supermarket in my mix I feed my budgies and tiels, I used it the same as couscous (poured on boiling water and left for 15 minutes) it was actually mixed with couscous as well as a variety of veges and egg, I found the birds ate it without a problem and it hasn't seemed to cause any problems. I'd heard such good things about it that i thought it was worth a try

[Diane]

Ive managed to get some more of the garden for the birds
Already got some Johnston grass in a raised bed and the size of the seeding heads from those plants is about double those growing in pots. So since scoring 2 more raised beds (bye bye human veggies )Ive put even more of the Johnston grass that was in pots in one and in the other Ive just planted Ameranthus, Perilla, Japanese Millet, Chickweed, Quinoa. Ive also tried some Greens and grains to see what grows. Already have some normal finch seed, some Canary and Pannicum seed and a handful of Breeders Brew elsewhere in the garden. Since fencing off the Palm grass from the dogs that is coming on leaps and bounds.

Looking forward to collecting seed heads for the birds on a regular basis

[Netsurfer]

Ive managed to get some more of the garden for the birds
Already got some Johnston grass in a raised bed and the size of the seeding heads from those plants is about double those growing in pots. So since scoring 2 more raised beds (bye bye human veggies )Ive put even more of the Johnston grass that was in pots in one and in the other Ive just planted Ameranthus, Perilla, Japanese Millet, Chickweed, Quinoa. Ive also tried some Greens and grains to see what grows. Already have some normal finch seed, some Canary and Pannicum seed and a handful of Breeders Brew elsewhere in the garden. Since fencing off the Palm grass from the dogs that is coming on leaps and bounds.
Looking forward to collecting seed heads for the birds on a regular basis

One of the best and easiest to grow is the Jap-millet, the seeds are large and juicy and the birds just love it! Where did you find Quinoa? As for Perilla, another name is "Asian Basil" or "Korean Basil" you can use the lives in cooking but you'd need lots of plants to get enough seeds to feed the birds, it would be easier to import, just like the Niger seeds.

[Diane]

Got the Quinoa from ebay,
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/320744943414 ... 1439.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The pic below is some Jap millet planted in October

Jap Millet.jpg

The Birdseed Bed
I put the wire cover over just in case the resident Blackbird family and the local sparrows thought I was serving al a carte breakfasts.

Full birdseed bed (1).jpg

In the following pics the seeds were planted about 3 weeks ago
Left to right Ameranthus, Jap millet

Ameranthus and Jap Millet.jpg

My single Perilla plant Ive still got some of these seeds left so I will plant out some more...probably today as its raining.

Perilla.jpg

Three rows of Quinoa, all planted at the same time but not all growing at the same rate.

Quinoa.jpg

From the left Jap Millet, Greens and grains, and Breeders Brew. As I had a lot of space left I decided to try every seed and seed mix I had!

Jap Millet Greens Grains Breeders Brew.jpg

Below is the newest Johnston grass bed, these were growing in pots previously. I have another garden bed of Johnston grass and the difference in growth and seed output between pots and in the ground is amazing.

Johnston Grass.jpg

[mackstaa]

That's dedication to the hobby
I just got my first seed heads from my Johnson grass I snuck back seeds from Venice Italy, birds seem to like them over the guinea grass but maybe cause it's different.

[gouldianpaul]

Hi BB,

My "crop" is at a similar stage to yours shown in the photos....i was considering thining them out as there seems to be a lot of plants in a small area....have you grown yours like this in the past....do you leave them as they are or do you thin them out to allow them more room to grow and increase your yield.

From the amount of plants shown in your photos how much (in kg's) seed heads do you expect to harvest....cheers, Paul

[Diane]

Ive got some guinea grass in with the Johnston grass but I think I will get some more plants at the next sale and give them their own bed.

My "crop" is at a similar stage to yours shown in the photos....i was considering thining them out as there seems to be a lot of plants in a small area....have you grown yours like this in the past....do you leave them as they are or do you thin them out to allow them more room to grow and increase your yield.
From the amount of plants shown in your photos how much (in kg's) seed heads do you expect to harvest....cheers, Paul

This is the first time I ever done this so Im not sure what to do or how much I will get, just glad at least some of the seeds planted have shown through. I will be happy to see any seed at all. Hopefully someone else who has grown this before can help us with yields and further instructions regarding the already growing plants.

Jap Millet in the green pot I will leave as is and just go with what happens. According to the sellers advert it can grow anything from 1 to 5 foot tall, can be flooded and will survive as long as the leaves are above water, which is handy as sometimes I can get a bit over-enthusiast about watering things in pots . Don't know if the pot will be deep enough though...ah well, experimentation is good.

Ameranthus is quoted as "Greens rich in vitamins and minerals, leaves have less oxalic acid than spinach. Protein leaf and grain. Seeds have over 18% protein, higher than corn or wheat. Amaranth seed is high in protein (15-18%) and contains essential amino acids that are not frequently found in grains. Amaranth contains three times as much fiber and five times as much iron as wheat, as well as twice the calcium of milk. 1 to 2 foot tall"

Perilla as quoted "leaves can be eaten too as well as the seed"

According to this link Im in a prime area for grass growing. If this is the case Im wondering why the Perilla didn't take very well.
http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_a ... ype=kpngrp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Forgot to mention, I have 2 rows of chickweed seed in between the Amerthanus and the Jap millet and nothing has come up there at all.

[mattymeischke]

I have some limited experience with these birdseed crops, and some more substantial experience with other kinds of crops. Nonetheless, what follows is my own opinion and as always I welcome constructive criticism.

For seed in cereal crops it it not essential to thin them, as they will thin themselves; it just takes a bit longer. With the nongrass crops it is important to optimise spacing for seed yield, but generally higher densities are indicated for seed cropping than for cropping the leaf/whole plant. With grasses (millets, Phalaris & cet) I sometimes retard some plants by cutting them back when they have a few adult leaves (artifical grazing). This not only spaces the seed crop over weeks/months to enable it to be used fresh over a period of time, but also seems to increase the ultimate yield from those plants which have been artificially grazed. The caveat, however, is that grazing (or pruning/artificial grazing) increases the concentration of those chemicals produced by the plant to deter grazing. In the case of cereal crops, this is probably of little consequence, but with any herb with an active principle which is potentially toxic it should be considered.
For example, in Tanacetum parthenium (Feverfew), a herb used in treating migraine and breast cancer (where it potentiates the action of some chemotherapy drugs so that smaller doses can be given) among other things, grazing of the crop before flowering results in an increase in the active fraction (parthenolides) between four- and five-fold (reference on request).

In my experience, timing is the most critical factor on determining yield, which can be highly variable in the same crop in the same ground from year to year depending on timing (both absolute and relative to prevailing conditions). Generally speaking, for millets and the like, the basics include planting into soil with adequate moisture and having adequate warmth for germination. Timing of subsequent watering is important in maximising yield: in broad-acre cropping the weather is key, but in a garden getting too much water earlier results in poor root development which ultimately retards yield. Less-frequent, deep watering is my favoured approach (eg: a small artifical flood every 3-4 weeks).

When to put them in for maximal yields depends very much on local conditions; for guidance, a local farmer may be very helpful. Around here, I would plant late spring or mid-to-late autumn for preference, but even planting 'out of time' you will get some seed.

Oh, and don't be shy with fertiliser. I use manure, my own compost and sometimes Seasol or blood'n'bone.

Good luck, and enjoy.