Description
Supplies 4 tons of organic matter and is a great soil builder!
- Sunn Hemp makes an excellent deer plot ingredient.
- Deer have been documented to pass soybean crops in order to get to Sunn Hemp.
- Tolerates poor soils better than other forages.
- If planting in a blend, use a lower percentage of Sunn Hemp to prevent it from out-competing other legumes.
- A nitrogen fixating summer annual legume.
- Adds over 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre to the soil. Up to 20 pounds of residual phosphorus, and 80 pounds of residual potash transfers from subsoil to the topsoil.
- Supplies 4 tons of organic matter and is a great soil builder.
Advantages
- Fast growing = 60 days from planting typically 5-6 foot tall.
- High protein = 30 percent protein in the leaves.
- Weight gainer for cattle in the heat of summer.
- Requires cowpea/lespedeza inoculation.
Recommendations
- When planting, cover seed ½ to 1 inch deep.
- Will tolerate pH of 5.0 to 7.5.
- Plant growth: For the first 30 days, the plant is sending down roots and top growth is very slow. After that, the plant usually grows rapidly and typically reaches a height of 6 feet in growth by day 60.
- Sun hemp is non-invasive.
Type: Annual Tropical Legume
Usage: Forage, Cover, green chop
Plant: May 15 – July 10
Height: 5 – 6 ft.
Seeding Rates: 15 lbs./acre (mix/cover crop)
25 – 30 lbs./acre (drilled)
30 – 50 lbs./acre (broadcast)
