Posted By: JDP Ranch
Lab Lab disaster - 10/22/20 02:39 PM
Meant to post this earlier in the year. Hoping to have some feedback from others who have successfully planted lablab.
In 2019, I had a small plotmaster and planted several acres of Lab Lab. The seed store I bought it from didn't mention the need to innoculate - didn't find out the need for innoculation until after planting. Despite not having been innoculated, I still had a decent amount of growth though none of the plants got very big and the color looked poor (light green instead of green).
Earlier this year, I upgraded to a seed drill and planted lablab again. This time on 6 acres. I fertilized per A&M soil test suggestions, disced, cultipacked, and then drilled in the Lab Lab to around 3/4 inch. There was some growth but no-where near as noticeable as when I used a plotmaster on less acreage. Very small plants grew sporadically and disappeared fairly quickly.
My first thought was the local wildlife was eating it. Put up an acre of electric fence around one area I planted. There was better growth in the electric fence but that soon disappeared too.
Anyone else successfully plant Lab Lab? Do you think wildlife is simply eating it faster than it could grow? I have clay soil in some parts of my property and a mix of clay/loam in other parts. The results were fairly consistent no matter where I planted.
I've been able to successfully grow oats and sorghum even with very little experience. Debating on trying lablab again next year or switching to something easier to grow and more cost-effective.
In 2019, I had a small plotmaster and planted several acres of Lab Lab. The seed store I bought it from didn't mention the need to innoculate - didn't find out the need for innoculation until after planting. Despite not having been innoculated, I still had a decent amount of growth though none of the plants got very big and the color looked poor (light green instead of green).
Earlier this year, I upgraded to a seed drill and planted lablab again. This time on 6 acres. I fertilized per A&M soil test suggestions, disced, cultipacked, and then drilled in the Lab Lab to around 3/4 inch. There was some growth but no-where near as noticeable as when I used a plotmaster on less acreage. Very small plants grew sporadically and disappeared fairly quickly.
My first thought was the local wildlife was eating it. Put up an acre of electric fence around one area I planted. There was better growth in the electric fence but that soon disappeared too.
Anyone else successfully plant Lab Lab? Do you think wildlife is simply eating it faster than it could grow? I have clay soil in some parts of my property and a mix of clay/loam in other parts. The results were fairly consistent no matter where I planted.
I've been able to successfully grow oats and sorghum even with very little experience. Debating on trying lablab again next year or switching to something easier to grow and more cost-effective.