Growing BOSS for Feed

tortoise

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I'm interested in growing Black Oil Sunflower Seed (BOSS) for feed. Is there growing information available for it? Days to maturity? I could buy a bag of BOSS bird seed and direct sow it, right?
 

Hinotori

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BOSS is expensive enough that it would be well worth growing. If my chickens liked it better I'd grow them.

Hmm maybe if I leave them on the head they would like them better. That would probably draw in the silkies at least.
 

R2elk

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I'm interested in growing Black Oil Sunflower Seed (BOSS) for feed. Is there growing information available for it? Days to maturity? I could buy a bag of BOSS bird seed and direct sow it, right?
The BOSS that you buy for bird feed can sprout and produce more of itself. The amount that gets spilled from the bird feeder here always produces sunflowers nearby for me.
 

tortoise

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tortoise

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Awesome! Thanks for the tip! I will just buy a bag of BOSS bird seed and feed extra to my chickens!

After reading the extension documents, my plan is to plant in north-south rows and broadcast white clover seed to fix nitrogen for the sunflowers. I also plan to broadcast Bt corn cob (Mosquito Bits unless I can find something cheaper) to prevent and control sunflower moths.

That was so much easier than I expected. Now to transfer it to my calendar and remember to actually do it. :gig
 

Hinotori

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Awesome! Thanks for the tip! I will just buy a bag of BOSS bird seed and feed extra to my chickens!

After reading the extension documents, my plan is to plant in north-south rows and broadcast white clover seed to fix nitrogen for the sunflowers. I also plan to broadcast Bt corn cob (Mosquito Bits unless I can find something cheaper) to prevent and control sunflower moths.

That was so much easier than I expected. Now to transfer it to my calendar and remember to actually do it. :gig

Id use crimson clover (not red). It's an annual unlike white clover.
 

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