Sunn Hemp

[Frosted Rabbits]

Ran across this in Back Yard Meat Rabbits-- and decided to look it up. Looks real promising for those that have the room to grow it..I am wondering, with the growth rate, if I could even consider it for a spring planting in my zone....


http://www.petcherseeds.com/about-sunn- ... ion-guide/

 

[Miss M]

Wow! That looks pretty neat! Wish it would set seed here... I'd have to buy fresh seed every year. It wouldn't be bad for my acreage, but I'd be concerned about future availability.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I am willing to bet, if a person lives far enough south, that it can be treated like a lawn grass-- Cut @ 1/3 of it off, let it regrow, then cut again...

 

[Miss M]

Exactly what I was thinking... but it says the only places it sets seed in the U.S. is Puerto Rico and Hawaii.

Sounds like the stuff grows insanely fast!

 

[dayna]

its an invasive weed here! lol I pick it for the rabbits and goats.

 

[Miss M]

Why can't it be an invasive weed here? That's not fair!

 

[Marinea]

I would love to give it a try!

Maybe Dayna could gather me up some seeds if I ask real nice...with a cherry on top.

 

[ramblingrabbit]

We've grown it as a green manure/cover crop in the past (before we had rabbits). Seed was usually somewhat expensive I recall, even though we bought it locally. It does get pretty big and lush. The stalks also get very fibrous which is why they grow it for fiber in some places also.

It's an annual, and does NOT regrow well if you cut it, regardless of climate, though I've seen a bit of regrowth from cut stalks under favorable conditions (lot's of rain and warm weather).

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Many grasses with the type of growth habit this information indicates do not go to seed well.. I wud consider the fast growing stuff, plant in spring, and use it for a single haying.. till under and then plant something else- or even consider a mixed xrop for hay purposes- es-ecially with the protein levels...

 

[dayna]

Yeah I'll go out this weekend and look for some ripe pods!

 

[SLRS]

I am willing to bet, if a person lives far enough south, that it can be treated like a lawn grass-- Cut @ 1/3 of it off, let it regrow, then cut again...

You can cut it every 30 days. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/313

Forage​

Sunn hemp intended for forage can be harvested 4 times, starting 6-8 weeks after sowing and then every 4 weeks (Orwa et al., 2009). Sunn hemp should be cut for hay in the early flowering stage, 1.5-2.5 months after planting (FAO, 2017).