Seeds in Season | June 2026 *BONUS
- May 11
- 2 min read
What Spring Planting Window?
contributed article by Justin Fruechte, Ag Product Expert
Millborn Seeds, Brookings, S.D.
It seems the narrow early planting window across the Upper Midwest was cut short for many reasons this spring. Variables ranged from temperatures being too cold, to soils being too dry, or fields turning wet again after becoming fit due to extended rains. Regardless of the reason that kept you from planting forage, we can look at what opportunities may still exist.
As the weather warms up and the calendar moves forward, the window for planting warm-season annual forages arrives. The advantage of switching to these options over cool-season annuals is their potential for higher yield and regrowth, along with improved heat and drought tolerance. So, if you farm in an environment with limited moisture or lighter soils, these may be the better option for your operation.
Teff Seed
Quality hay continues to be in demand, despite a depressed market. The opportunity to produce high-value grass hay can come from utilizing teff seed. Teff is a very fine-stemmed plant that holds its green color well when baled and can reach crude protein levels of 15 to 17 percent when put up correctly. The plant performs best in the heat of summer on well-drained soils with adequate moisture. When planted early in the summer, you can expect up to three cuttings, totaling as much as four tons of dry matter per acre. The seed size is extremely small, so it needs to be planted very shallow into a firm seedbed.
Millet Varieties
Millets provide higher-yielding hay options that are more consistent in establishment. These are coarser stemmed, but are still manageable to cure for dry hay. Foxtail-type millets, such as German and White Wonder, are among the most popular. They typically provide a single cutting of leafy, palatable hay yielding two to three tons of dry matter per acre. If you are planting early and can achieve multiple cuttings, consider pearl millet. This plant tillers very well and can outyield foxtail millet due to its height and persistence. Pearl millet is slightly less drought tolerant and has a thicker stalk, but it can yield nearly double the forage compared to German or White Wonder. An added benefit is the brown midrib (BMR) trait available in certain varieties, which reduces lignin and ultimately increases digestibility and intake.
Forage Sorghum
If your goal is to fill the bunker with as many tons of silage as possible this fall, forage sorghum should be planted as soon as soil temperatures consistently reach 60 degrees. These crops are gaining popularity where fertilizer and water efficiency are critical. They are extremely drought tolerant and can produce yields exceeding 20 tons of silage per acre.
Breeding advancements in sorghum varieties have improved standability through brachytic-type plants, which shorten the stalk nodes and increase the leaf-to-stem ratio. These brachytic plants, combined with the BMR trait, create highly digestible silage with good crude protein levels. This makes sorghum silage an attractive feedstuff for stock cow and heifer rations.
Livestock prices continue to remain bullish, and the outlook is strong. These warm-season forage options are low-input crops with consistent results. Incorporating more forage acres can provide flexibility in your marketing decisions as your herd numbers change.
Photo courtesy Millborn Seeds
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