Aussie Finch Forum

I sowed some wfm and some red panicum recently. How long should I have to wait until I have some seed heads I can harvest?

About 8 to 10 weeks on average depends on the temp and growth rates .. make shure it flowers and sets seed before you harvest or there will be nothing in the heads.

Thanks for that. What time of year do you usually try sow your bird seed?

I read somewhere about 90 to 100 days for harvest, but that was for commercial cropping, i suspect mine will look a little scrappier and thinner than a crop.

White Millet is much quicker maturing than Red Pannicum. Any of the warmer months are best to grow any of the millets. Now is perfect. If you don't sow it too densely, apply a side dressing of fertiliser (I use dynamic lifter & water in with fish emulsion & seasol) when about 50-100mm high & keep well watered thereafter & you will produce beautiful big millet heads. Harvest white millet when you can feel the weighty kernels filled with "seed milk". Harvest Red pannicum when you can see that the kernels have turned from green to orange. Keeping away wild birds, wallabies, & domestic livestock is something you'll need to bear in mind depending on where you live. The best patch of millet heads I ever grew was totally demolished by my cows about 3 days before it was due for harvest for the birds. They just trampled over the barbed-wire fence to get into it one night - never crossed a fence here before or since but the grass was just that bit greener on the other side apparently.
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