[Syrupmakers] The scoop on thinning sorghum cane

[Richard Harrison]

Keith,
      I grew sorghum a couple of years, but am no expert either. But, recommended thinning rate here was to have a stand about 8-12 inches apart--ideally, with 12 inches preferred. I found that small diameter stalks of sorghum could easily have as much juice as a large diameter stalk because the larger stalk would be pithy.
      Also, I took the liberty to change the title of this topic a little. I hope others copy the subject line so as to avoid any confusion by sugarcane growers. As pointed out by us sugar cane growers, we don't thin sugarcane--only sorghum. More often we don't have a thick enough stand of sugarcane, rather than too thick ! A few varieties grow a little thick and for that reason some of those varieties are avoided. Sugarcane growers and syrupmakers like to have stalks with appreciable diameter so it doesn't take so many to get the juice wanted for syrupmaking. Most of us would rather strip and cut LESS stalks to get our job done...And of course sorghum is even MORE labor-intensive.
      We didn't get adequate rain here in NW FL this year for good growth of sugarcane. Drip irrigation came in real handy this year ! 
                                                               Richard Harrison

Keith Kinney <kkinney at herculesengines.com> wrote:
  Joe
When you thin your cane what distance do you leave between the stalks?
Thanks.
Keith

   


       
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