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Egyptian Wheat

August 14th, 2011

Egyptian Wheat growth progress... some of it planted in mid June drowned out and had to be re-planted in early July so it's interesting to see just how late one can plant it and still end up with a viable screen.

Planted mid June but survived the relentless rains and is well over my head now

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Screening a feeding area

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Planted mid June and screening a feeding area from the road

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Mid June planting and used to "steer" deer closer to a stand

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It suffered severely wet soils and then severe drought so growth varies across the field

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Planted mid June...drowned out, had a fence built thru it (trampled), no rain for 46 days...

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Planted July 1st...has had 1" of rain since planting

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Planted with a Brillion planted so seeding was pretty accurate at 6#'s per acre

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Re-planted July 1st.....400" of rain since planting

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Planted July 5th also less then a 1/2" of rain since planting (last real rain was June 28th)

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Egyptian Wheat obviously grows very well under very dry and hot conditions because during July we set records for the longest periods above 90 degrees with most days in the 100 degree range with no appreciable rain for the entire month!

All EW plantings were sprayed with at least 2 1/2 quarts of atrazine per acre and 200#'s of urea per acre, sown at 6#'s per acre. We still have 6-8 weeks of growing time here in SE Iowa so barring something unforeseen all of the EW should provide beautiful and effective screening. Some people have had theirs knocked flat by 80-100 mph straight line winds so disappointment is always a possibility...so far we are very happy with EW growth despite very difficult growing conditions. :way:
 
September 14th, 2011

How late can you plant Egyptian Wheat?? These are pics of EW planted in early July here in SE Iowa...those are 4' tall tubes for comparison...

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Both these areas drowned out in June so EW does not like wet feet at planting time but in fact thrives during the dry part of the summer so despite not a drop of rain for 2 months after planting, the EW has done amazingly well even enduring temps to 106!

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Still 2-4 weeks of growing time here although patchy frost is in the forecast for tonight so I expect the EW to continue to grow for several more weeks. It has however already fully screened the feeding areas.... :way:
 
Dont most of the switchgrass/EW/Millot type plants prefer a dry hot condition? I thought so, maybe I just dreamed that up?

How do you expect this to hold up with snowload and wind?
 
Dont most of the switchgrass/EW/Millot type plants prefer a dry hot condition? I thought so, maybe I just dreamed that up?

How do you expect this to hold up with snowload and wind?

They are warm season plants that do better in hot dry conditions so your not dreaming...:D
 
Dont most of the switchgrass/EW/Millot type plants prefer a dry hot condition? I thought so, maybe I just dreamed that up?

How do you expect this to hold up with snowload and wind?


Our EW held up extremely well after heavy snows in Iowa last year. I think it's unlikely that EW would blow down easily once the stalks die in the fall/winter. Last year was our first experience with EW and we were very pleased. We planted again this year and have a good stand.

Good luck.
 
We planted nearly a mile of road frontage to EW in early July this year and it did outstanding even planted so late!

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It has out grown the corn that it is screening

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We killed the sod with glyphosate, tilled it under when the flooding rains ceased, tilled in some urea, planted 6#'s per acre, sprayed 2.5#'s of atrazine and the rest is history

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Long term our plan is to plant red cedars for a permanent screen but the EW will help lower poaching problems in the interim and give deer beyond a safe secure feeding area.

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probably the least expensive, yet most effective annual screen one can plant :way:

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Paul,
Is EW very invasive?
I talked to a buddy about EW and he was afraid of it becoming a
problem in other areas.
 
Paul,
Is EW very invasive?
I talked to a buddy about EW and he was afraid of it becoming a
problem in other areas.

No...it's absolutely not invasive Tony but people often think it is shattercane which of course is an invasive weed. EW is just like growing sorghum or corn just an annual that doesn't grow back or spread.

Shattercane
 
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October 27th, 2010

The spot lighters went by the other night...perfectly legal in Iowa but I'd rather not have them be tempted...and nothing on my property is any concern of theirs...thankful for Egyptian Wheat screens this time of year...

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November 26th, 2011

There are a myriad of reasons to screen our property and feeding areas but one of the most important is to discourage poachers from stealing the whitetails we are passionately managing our habitat for. This little buck was shot with a high power rifle in a wide open corn stubble field in between houses not even a 100 yards in either direction.

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If poachers are brazen enough to kill a small buck (I suspect they thought it was larger), do you not suppose they would be happy to take any risk to kill a large mature animal? In our area people addicted to drugs (primarily meth) are desperate and they know they can easily and profitably market poached racks to feed their habit. In this case I called our CO who confirmed it was shot with a rifle (during our archery only season I might add).

We can not protect the deer on the neighbors crop fields but we can screen ours and thereby encourage mature deer to stay within the safer confines of our property.

This landowner has wisely planted red cedars along side the Egyptian Wheat so that eventually he'll have a permanent screen protecting his feeding are from the road.

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Conifers and shrubs take time to reach a height capable of screening so EW and do the job until it is no longer needed

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EW also makes a great funnel and deer will follow it...right to a stand!

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An opening near a stand or blind will be readily used and even mature bucks feel comfortable traveling in daylight hours when screened from roads and outside activity. This buck walked thru and opening 20 yards from a stand...

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Bucks are more likely to stage in small openings or check feeding areas that are completely hidden and while this area is very close to a road, this buck is unconcerned and the landowner does not have to worry about this deer being poached on his property.

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Egyptian Wheat is easy to grow but requires plenty of nitrogen (100-200#'s of urea per acre), be sure not to over seed and use only 5-6#'s per acre (open the gate on your bag seeder just enough to barely let seeds fall thru) and use 2 1/2 quarts of simazine or atrazine per acre for weed control.

Use EW for screening and funneling and protect the deer you have invested some much time and effort into....;)
 
How is the standability of EW compared with Sorghum Sudan hybrids? I planted numerous screens with 5' - 10' wide strips of 'Special Effort' sorghum sudan hybrid and it reached approx 7-8' tall and made quite the screen until we received 8" of really wet snow. It was completely flattened, only a couple areas have stood back up at all. This snow also flattened some 3-4' tall WGF milo as well but most of it is still standing.
 
How is the standability of EW compared with Sorghum Sudan hybrids? I planted numerous screens with 5' - 10' wide strips of 'Special Effort' sorghum sudan hybrid and it reached approx 7-8' tall and made quite the screen until we received 8" of really wet snow. It was completely flattened, only a couple areas have stood back up at all. This snow also flattened some 3-4' tall WGF milo as well but most of it is still standing.

They all have limitations of course but usually our EW is still standing in the spring, despite heavy snows and high winds. It's always hard to compare unless each is side by side under identical conditions however so it's very possible EW may have succumbed to the heavy snow in your case too...hard to say? All I know is ours has never been "flattened"...;)
 
When do you order your EW and where do your order it from? I want to make sure I have some to plant for screens in some of those fields I spoke with you about the other day via email. Wouldn it be ok to use a drag to cover the seed after it is spread on disced ground?
 
When do you order your EW and where do your order it from? I want to make sure I have some to plant for screens in some of those fields I spoke with you about the other day via email. Wouldn it be ok to use a drag to cover the seed after it is spread on disced ground?

Check the first page of this thread for links on places to order seed and you can lightly drag/disc in the seed and then if possible cultipack to firm soil.
 
Received word last night Des Moines Forage and Turf will be carrying it this year. Good news for anyone that is in or travels through the Des Moines / Ankeny area. That means no shipping! :way:

http://www.dftseed.com/
 
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Received word last night Des Moines Forage and Turf will be carrying it this year. Good news for anyone that is or travels through the Des Moines / Ankeny area that means no shipping! :way:

http://www.dftseed.com/

Just a word of experience from last year...it got tough to find Egyptian Wheat seed, so it is good to hear that there is another source this year. If you are planning to use some this year I wouldn't wait too late into the spring to get your order in.
 
Thanks Travis! That's great news!

Dave...Iowa/Missouri hybrids also will be carrying EW seed in Keosauqua ;)
 
Just wondering how well the ew is working at funneling deer? I have a 2 acre field the deer pour into but in a spot I can't get within bow range. I am wondering if I plant a strip to bring them back 40 yards or so before they disperse into the field. I would think it would be woth a shot.
 
Just wondering how well the ew is working at funneling deer? I have a 2 acre field the deer pour into but in a spot I can't get within bow range. I am wondering if I plant a strip to bring them back 40 yards or so before they disperse into the field. I would think it would be woth a shot.

They will follow the EW to an opening in it and they can't resist checking out the food on the other side so you can certainly use it to lead or funnel deer. :way:
 
I haven't used EW but planted a sorghum/sudan hybrid (also grows 8' tall) around a 5 acre food plot this year. When it was still standing every deer would follow the field edge to where I left a 20' opening and enter there. It worked perfect for funneling deer. Next year I will be trying EW instead.
 
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