Does Anyone Grow Birdseed or Millet?

[Birdgardengal]

Does anyone grow birdseed or millet? I have parakeets and I am always buying sprays of millet. I have the space, but not the know-how to grow or even where to buy the seeds. Can I plant some of the seed from the millet I buy? I would really like to know if anyone has any information on growing birdseed for pets.

 

[joebwe25]

Yeah, I grow it! I feed the birds, the seed spills out, and voila!
I have a field of birdseed! Corn, sorghum, sunflowers, millet.
I don't see why it wouldn't grow.
Good luck!

 

[silkiechicken]

Same here, I grew it once but it was entirely non intentional. I used to dump out the contens of my hamster cage outside when it was cleaned, and it just grew up right out of the pile of seeds and shavings. The millet didn't look nearly as pretty as the ones you buy at the store for the birds though. But that's probably because I wasn't caring for them and they grew them selves.

 

[digitS']

See that thread on "crafty things from the garden," Jeri.

I've grown millet for quite a few years. Got the seed originally from Johnny's. Got the black tip wheat from them, also. I just save a little seed from year to year.

Of course, what I'm doing is trying to harvest it before the finches do. They will strip the mature heads in a matter of days. Of course, if you actually want to feed the finches . . .

This year, I'll see what the chickens think of it. This variety is a foxtail millet and that is one of many which might be in bird seed mixes.

Steve

 

[Birdgardengal]

Hi, I feed the birds all the time. Infact I go through a 50 pound bag in about 2-3 weeks. I have never had anything grow! These birds eat more than I thought if they can not even let a few seeds grow! The Fox Tail Millet looks like what I buy for my parakeets. I am going to make a rock flower bed and plant some seed and see what happens. Thanks for the info. If anyone has any suggestions on planting please let me know.

Digits, I saw where you said millet on your wreath, but I thought it was different than this kind. This sounds like it might be easy to grow.

 

[nightshade]

I like to grow "sunspot" sunflowers for my chickens and for the wild birds. The get huge flowers some over 10 inches across but they only grow 2ft high which makes them really nice to grow in clumps or in the garden because you don't have to stake them.