Henrik Norbeck's Plant Culture

Broomcorn (Sorghum bicolor var. technicum)

Gammalsvenskbyn

This heirloom variety was brought from Gammalsvenskby in Zmiivka in Ukraine in 1929 by the 850 Swedish speaking people from there who emigrated to Sweden then.
This variety has a rather long growing season, so it has to be sown early. I've sown it around the same time as I sow my maize (beginning of May) at a soil temperature of 10-12 °C.
The dried panicles of broomcorn are used for making brooms and brushes.
The seeds have red husks and can of course be used for feed or food, although that is not the main use for this variety. The plants grow to 160-210 cm tall.