How to grow in the open field and use African millet on the farm

African millet - pearl or pearl millet, pennisetum, pinnacle - is a popular food crop in African countries. In Russia millet from Africa it is used mainly as an ornamental plant. Read about the rules for planting and caring for this beautiful cereal in the article.

What is African millet

Pennisetum or pinnate bristle is a representative of the family of cereals, which grows massively in tropical and subtropical climates. In climatic conditions typical of the middle lane, it is grown as an annual.

Reference. Thanks to its decorative appearance, African millet is gaining more and more popularity among domestic gardeners and gardeners every year. Cultivation of pinnate bristles in a temperate climate is complicated by the fact that the plant is not able to withstand the frosty winter.

Description and characteristics of the plant Pennisetum gray

Pennisetum is a herbaceous cereal plant, whose height reaches 4 m with full care. Its roots are capable of going 3.5 m into the ground, however, most of them are located at a depth of 10 cm.

African millet leaves are dark green in color. Inflorescences are in the form of protruding dense panicles 20 cm long. Each branch consists of an average of 9 spikelets with densely pubescent axes and short fluffy bristles. Bloom lasts from July to September.

In seed fruit, there are several thousand seeds, reaching 5 mm in diameter. Their color is different: white, yellow, red, black.

Reference. You can propagate the cereal by seeds or cuttings. Seeds are sown in open ground in early May, for seedlings - in the second half of April.

Types and varieties

The most popular types of African millet include:

1. Pennisetum foxtail. The plant successfully winters in central Russia. It is characterized by the formation of a wide bush with a height of 40 cm to 1 m. There are also low-growing varieties of this plant. The leaves of the culture are narrow, green in color, turn yellow in the autumn. Flowering period: August - September. Low-growing varieties bloom earlier - in July. The inflorescences look like fluffy panicles with a color ranging from light milky to brownish red. Homeland - the eastern regions of Asia, Australia.
2. Pennisetum east. Perennial. In nature, it grows on rocky slopes, on tropical and subtropical taluses of Asia and Africa. The height of the stem reaches from 15 to 80 cm. The panicles are dense and look like spikelets. In length, inflorescences reach from 4 to 15 cm, have a pinkish-brown color. Wintering is carried over only in areas where there is no severe frost.
3. Shaggy Pennisetum. It is a perennial native to East Africa. Grows naturally on talus and slopes in mountainous areas. It reaches a height of 30-60 cm, forming dense clumps. Panicles are spike-shaped from 3 to 10 cm in length, cylindrical, golden in color. Bloom in August. Inflorescences appear in the second year after planting. Winters well in the southern regions.
4. Pennisetum simple... More resistant to cold weather. Homeland - China. It grows in mountainous areas, forming massive clumps up to 1.2 m high. The foliage is green or gray-green. Blooms in the last days of June. Flowering lasts until September. The inflorescences first have a greenish tint, then turn yellow-brown. Plant rhizomes can drown out other plants.
5. Pennisetum is gray. The culture is appreciated for the unusual bronze color of wide, about 3.5 cm, leaves. Plant height can reach 2 m. It is food and forage grain. In Europe, it is valued as a decorative culture. Growing fast. Used as an annual plant in cold climates.

Popular varieties of Pennisetum blue:

• African Purpl - the entire plant, including the panicles, has a purple-bronze color;
• Jester - late blooming variety, height up to 120 cm;
• Purple Baron - height up to 1 m, stems and inflorescences of purple color;
• Purple Majesti is a red-leaved variety, up to 1.5 m high, has purple straight inflorescences;
• Jade Princesses - height 0.9-1.2 m, with bright green foliage and burgundy spikelets in inflorescences.

Economic value and application

African millet has composition rich in nutrients... It is a high-yielding crop that is quite edible. One multi-stem plant can contain up to 15 ears.

African millet is used in the preparation of tortillas, cereals, drinks that resemble beer.

The stems and leaves of the plant are used as feed for livestock. Hay is harvested from them.

Reference. In dried form, the stems of pinnacle in a vase look beautiful.

The pinnate is widely used in landscape design. Low decorative species of pennisetum are used for planting flower beds, fences and paths in personal plots.

Landscape designers plant culture in mixborders, decorate fences, retaining walls, buildings with a plant. Tall varieties have found application as hedges.

Reference. Perennial varieties in cold climates are best planted in containers. They can perfectly cope with the harsh winter in a cool room.

History of appearance

The pinnate bristle was cultivated in Africa 30 centuries ago. Over time, the plant spread throughout Asia, took root well in India and Burma, where it is still grown in arid tropical conditions at an altitude of 800 to 1800 m above sea level.

Chemical composition, trace elements, calorie content of African millet

Pennisetum grains are characterized by high nutritional value and good keeping quality. They contain:

• carbohydrates - 56-76%;
• protein - 9-16%;
• fats - 4-6%;
• ash - 2-7%.

Millet contains a lot of nutrients:

• trace elements - phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper, iodine;
• vitamins - pantothenic, folic, niacin.

Reference. African millet is the leader among cereals in terms of the content of nicotinic acid.

Caloric content per 100 g of product is 350 kcal.

Useful and healing properties of African millet

Due to its rich in vitamins and microelements composition, millet is considered a valuable food product with healing properties. Porridge from it is a component of many therapeutic diets.

How does it affect the body

Useful properties of African millet:

• removes toxins from the body due to the fiber contained in the grains;
• has a diuretic effect, solves the problem of puffiness;
• has a beneficial effect on the nervous system due to the high content of folic acid;
• improves the condition of the cardiovascular system due to the high content of potassium.

Features of growing in the open field

Pennisetum can be grown from seeds or cuttings. The first method is suitable for annual plants, the second for perennials.

Compliance with the rules of agricultural technology is the key to healthy plantings.

Annuals are sown in pots in the spring, in May they can be transferred to a flower garden.It is permissible to sow seeds in early May in open ground, covering the planting with foil.

Choosing a landing site

Culture loves the sun. The site for planting should be well lit, protected from drafts. The peristhaet takes root well if it is planted in a row along the fence or wall of a building.

Important. Mature plants are not kept in a greenhouse.

Soil preparation

The crop grows well in fertile, moist soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0.

The site (usually a strip along the fence) is prepared for planting African millet in advance: it is cleared of weeds, dug up, leveled. They loosen the soil shallowly, by 10-15 cm.

Reference. Application of fertilizers is recommended: phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen. Feeding with nitrogen will need to be repeated a month after sowing.

Seed preparation

Before planting, the cover is removed from the seeds to stimulate their germination. To increase resistance to frost, the seed is sorted and moistened.

Landing scheme and technology

In summer cottages, millet is sown manually. The grains are scattered evenly, 5-6 pieces per hole. The distance between the holes is at least 45 cm.

Industrial sowing is carried out using seeders with wide row spacing - about 100 cm.

Reference. In Africa and India, pennisetum is planted in the field as seedlings. It is grown for a month in a nursery. Several plants are planted in open ground in each hole.

Seedlings are planted when the seedlings reach a height of 15 cm after the threat of frost has passed.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Grain is rarely affected by diseases and pests. The exception is rust, a fungal disease that affects cereals and garden trees. Among the main predisposing factors of the disease is increased soil moisture. The problem is solved with the help of fungicides and transplanting the plant into new soil.

The defeat of the scab (small insects) is determined by the voids and spots of red or yellow that have appeared on the stems. You will need to use a soap solution, fern tincture, drugs "Permethrin", "Phosphamide".

The defeat of aphids often leads to the death of the pennisetum. For prevention and treatment, summer residents practice the use of a soap solution or the drug "Intavir".

Important. Abundant watering is fraught with stem rot. When signs of waterlogging appear, stop watering the planting.

Care features

Pennisetum care is simple and consists of:

• in loosening the soil - you will need to spend 2-3 times per season;
• manual weeding, especially at the initial stage of growth, so that weeds do not drown out the crop;
• hilling tall crops;
• watering: in the dry season from July to August, at least 4 furrow irrigations will be required;
• the introduction of fertilizers, mineral fertilizers with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus and organic such as manure.

Reference. For feeding, you can use "Kristalon", "Plantafol", "Ammophos".

Tips and tricks for growing and using African millet

For pennisetum to grow well, avoid stagnant water. Drainage is required at the site of African millet planting in the ground.

Perennial frost-resistant culture before winter is not cut off. The aerial part of the plant serves as a natural shelter for the roots. The root area will need to be covered with fallen leaves. In the spring, the insulation is removed, and last year's aboveground part of the bush is cut off.

Reference. Peristochaetum beautifully framing water bodies, fits perfectly into the design of flower beds. Its weeping leaves look very harmonious in combination with other plants. The foxtail pennisetum is perfect for decorative design. It will become a large plant accent against the background of massive stones. Designers recommend combining African millet in water compositions with marigold or kotula.

Conclusion

African millet - an ornamental plant popular among domestic gardeners, unpretentious in care and drought-resistant.It looks good both in solo form and as an element of a plant composition.