Plant WitchPearl Millet
Pennisetum glaucum
Zones 7–13
Growing
Pearl millet is a good choice for improving your garden's soil structure. Its dense, fibrous root system breaks up compacted earth. When using it as a green manure or cover crop, you can plant it alongside forage legumes like cowpea or sunn hemp for a more balanced nutrient profile. Because it grows with high vegetative vigor, it quickly covers the soil surface, which helps suppress weeds and increase organic matter.
Watch the developing grain heads for boring insects. The pearl millet stem-borer and head-miner can damage the plant by tunneling through the stalks or spiraling into the florets to destroy the grain. Also watch for the millet grain midge, whose larvae inhabit the developing grain and leave white pupal cases on the spikelets.
If you are growing this for forage, you can graze the plants or cut them for silage once they reach about three feet in height. Mowing the seedheads may encourage more leafy vegetative growth. If you are harvesting for hay, the large, sturdy stems can be difficult to manage with standard equipment and need extra time to dry. For the best nutritional quality, do not leave stems standing in the field long after the grain harvest is complete.
| Sun | full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | low |
| Grow time | 45–90 days |
| Height | >6ft |
| Spacing | 12–24in |
| Full sun | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Part shade | ✗ |
| Shade | ✗ |
| Life cycle | annual |
|---|---|
| Category | grain |
| Growth habit | upright |
| Season | warm |
| Frost tolerance | tender |
| Height | over 6ft |
| Spacing | 12–24in |
| Days to maturity | 45–90 |
| Native us | ✗ |
| Water | low |
|---|---|
| Drainage | well drained |
| Soil ph min | 5.5 |
| Soil ph max | 7.5 |
| Propagation | |
| Seed | ✓ |
| Cutting | ✗ |
| Division | ✗ |
| Graft | ✗ |
| Tuber bulb crown | ✗ |
| Transplant | ✗ |
| Container ok | ✓ |
| Pollination | wind |
| Pollinator friendly | ✗ |
| Toxic parts | |
| Leaves | ✗ |
| Seeds | ✗ |
| Raw | ✗ |
| Spread | self seeds |
| Deer resistant | ✓ |
| Drought tolerant | ✓ |
| Toxic to | |
| People | ✗ |
| Pets | ✗ |
| Livestock | ✓ |
| Wash before storing | ✗ |
|---|---|
| Ripens off plant | ✗ |
| Curing days | none |
| Shelf life | over 3mo |
| Storage methods | |
| Room temp | ✓ |
| Cool dark | ✓ |
| Fridge | ✗ |
| Freeze | ✗ |
| Can | ✗ |
| Dry | ✓ |
| Ferment pickle | ✗ |
| Blanch before freezing | ✗ |
| Length | 6–12wk |
|---|---|
| Colors | |
| White | ✗ |
| Yellow | ✗ |
| Orange | ✗ |
| Red | ✗ |
| Pink | ✗ |
| Purple | ✗ |
| Blue | ✗ |
| Green | ✗ |
| Mat height | over 12in |
|---|---|
| Spread rate | fast |
| Foot traffic | none |
| Evergreen | ✗ |
| Lawn alternative | ✗ |
| Mowable | ✓ |
| Between pavers | ✗ |
| Erosion control | ✓ |
| Weed suppression | ✗ |
| Under trees | ✗ |
| Status | none |
|---|---|
| Regions | |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| Midwest | ✗ |
| Plains | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| Mountain west | ✗ |
| Pacific northwest | ✗ |
| California | ✗ |
| Hawaii | ✗ |
| State noxious | ✗ |
| Escapes cultivation | ✗ |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no |
| Harvest | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no |