Upland Game Mix

Choose a full-sun spot where the plot gets at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day.
Pick ground that drains well and avoid low, soggy areas where water stands after a rain.
Test soil pH if you can, and adjust toward 6.0-7.0 using lime (to raise pH) or sulfur (to lower pH).
Remove existing vegetation by mowing low, then tilling, disking, or spraying and waiting for it to die.
Work the soil 3-4 inches deep until clods are broken up and you have a loose, crumbly surface.
Rake or drag the area to smooth the surface so small millet seed can touch soil evenly.
Add a light, balanced fertilizer only if your soil is very poor or crops have been stunted in past years.
Avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen, which can cause rank growth and lodging instead of sturdy cover.
Firm the seedbed just before planting by rolling, cultipacking, or driving equipment over it.
Check firmness by stepping on the soil; your boot heel should sink no more than about 1/2 inch.
Stop working the soil once it is smooth and firm; over-working can create dust and poor seed contact.
Plan to plant when the soil is warm; do not prepare the seedbed weeks ahead and let weeds take over.

Wait to plant until late spring or early summer when soil temperature is at least 60F at 2 inches deep.
Check soil temperature in the morning with a soil thermometer; if it is below 60F, delay planting.
Set your seeder (broadcast or drill) for small seeds and test on a small area to confirm an even spread.
Aim for an average planting depth of about 1/2 inch to suit both the tiny millet seeds and larger buckwheat seeds.
If drilling, set the drill to place seed at about 1/2 inch and avoid going deeper than 3/4 inch.
If broadcasting, spread the seed evenly in one pass, then lightly drag or harrow the surface to cover seed.
Roll or cultipack after broadcasting to press millet seed into the soil and ensure good contact for all seeds.
Overlap passes only slightly so you do not create overly thick millet stands that shade out buckwheat.
Avoid planting into dry, fluffy soil; firm the soil first so seeds do not fall too deep.
Skip any pre-emergent herbicides; they will prevent millet and buckwheat from sprouting.
Water lightly after planting if rain is not expected within a day or two to settle soil around the seed.
Look for a lightly textured surface with no large clods and no visible seed on top when you finish.

Watch for millet to sprout first, usually within 5-7 days in warm, moist soil.
Look for a fine, grassy carpet of millet seedlings about 1-1-2 inches tall in the first 7-10 days.
Expect buckwheat to emerge a bit later, usually within 7-10 days, with broad, heart-shaped leaves.
Check moisture daily in the first 2 weeks; if the top 1 inch of soil is dry, water lightly to keep it damp.
Avoid heavy watering that creates puddles or crusts the soil surface.
Walk the plot after 10-1-4 days and look for bare patches where neither millet nor buckwheat is coming up.
Spot-rake and re-seed thin or bare areas early, before weeds take over.
Monitor weeds starting in week 2; expect fewer weeds where buckwheat is thick and shading the ground.
Hand-hoe or lightly mow between rows or patches if tall broadleaf weeds begin to overtop the young crop.
Keep livestock, vehicles, and heavy foot traffic off the plot for the first 3-4 weeks to prevent uprooting.
Check plant height at 3-4 weeks; millet should be forming a dense grassy cover 8-1-8 inches tall.
Look for buckwheat to rise above the millet by 3-4 weeks with a leafy canopy starting to close over.
Reduce or stop watering once plants are well established and roots are holding soil firmly.
Expect millet seedheads and first buckwheat flowers to appear around 4-6 weeks after planting.
Know you are on track when you see a layered canopy: low grassy millet and taller, leafy buckwheat above.

Let the millet stand through late summer and fall so heads can fully fill and dry on the stalk.
Check millet heads; you will know they are ready when seeds are firm, dry, and do not dent easily with a fingernail.
Allow buckwheat to flower fully and set seed; look for brown, firm seeds on the plants by late summer.
Avoid mowing or disking while birds are actively feeding heavily on seed in late summer and early fall.
Leave the standing cover through fall and into early winter to provide both food and shelter for upland birds.
Walk the plot in winter; expect to see dry millet stalks still standing and some buckwheat stems breaking down.
Plan to lightly disc or shallow-till in late winter or early spring to mix residue into the top few inches of soil.
Set tillage equipment shallow so you do not bury future seed too deep or destroy soil structure.
Rotate your Upland Game Mix plots every 1-3 years to new strips or fields to reduce disease and pest pressure.
Watch crop vigor each year; tall, thick millet and lush buckwheat mean current fertilizer levels are adequate.
Increase fertilizer slightly before the next planting if plants were pale, short, or thin the previous season.
Avoid planting this mix year after year in the exact same narrow strip without rotation or residue management.
Replant each year once soil warms to at least 60F, following the same soil prep and seeding steps.
Check each new planting against the previous year; aim for similar or better stand density and cover height.
Adjust your planting date, seed rate, or fertilizer if you see repeated problems like weak stands or heavy weeds.