Browntop millet (Panicum ramosum)              

 Browntop millet is a leafy, fine-stemmed, warm season annual that produces a small grass seed that is readily consumed by dove, quail, and turkeys.  It is also not uncommon for white-tailed deer to strip the seed heads once ripe.  Browntop millet is a tough drought resistant plant that can also be planted as a cover or nurse crop for more sensitive legumes like cowpeas.  Normally planted for game birds and waterfowl, browntop serves a whole other purpose when planted in combination with catjang cowpeas.

Catjang cowpea (Vigna unguiculata cylindrical)    

Catjang cowpea is an outstanding legume and is actually a bean not a pea. Catjang is very high in protein content and is relished by deer and gamebirds alike.  This is a late maturing cowpea that produces abundant forage.  It is much more resistant to grazing than other cowpeas because of its tendency to vine, climb and crawl.  However, when planted alone it can still be overgrazed.  That’s where the browntop comes in. 

When browntop millet and catjang cowpea are planted in combination you get the perfect spring food plot.  Browntop is fast growing and produces heavy seed in 45 -60 days.  It rapidly reaches 18”-24” tall and serves as a nurse crop to the slower growing, less deer resistant catjang.  As the catjang cowpeas grow they have a tendency to vine into the browntop stalks, thus somewhat protecting themselves from overgrazing.  Once they produce bean pods they hang like grapes from the vines where they are easily consumed by wildlife.

You should plant this combination any time after the chance of frost is over and the ground is dry enough to work.  They can be planted in a variety of soil types from uplands to bottomlands on a well-disked seed bed at a rate 20-30 lbs. per acre.  Fertilize with 13-13-13 fertilizer and lightly cover.  This is a great spring food plot for a variety of game species.  Adding additional plant types like Alyceclover, buckwheat, or American Jointvetch will further enhance your food plot.