{"id":9678,"date":"2021-07-27T13:14:41","date_gmt":"2021-07-27T13:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=9678"},"modified":"2021-11-13T11:51:00","modified_gmt":"2021-11-13T11:51:00","slug":"how-to-grow-barley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-grow-barley\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Grow Barley [A Simple Guide]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Barley is an easy to grow, inexpensive crop with several valuable advantages. It can be used as an animal<\/a> and human food source, in beer and whiskey making<\/a>, or as a way to protect topsoil during drought conditions. It is excellent for weed suppression and erosion control and can be used in coastal areas due to its salt tolerance and ability to prevent saline seep. Let\u2019s take a closer look at how to grow barley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the Benefits of Growing Barley?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"benefits<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Barley has many virtues ranging from its short growing period, making it suitable to use as a multiple planting crop, to producing the largest biomass of any cereal crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erosion Control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Grown as a winter annual, the deep, fibrous root systems of barley can reach 6 and a half feet. Compared to spring barley, which has a shallower root system but is beneficial for minimizing soil erosion during droughts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weed Suppression<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Because barley establishes quickly, it can outcompete weeds. It absorbs large amounts of soil moisture during early growth and then shades out weeds while releasing allelopathic chemicals to further suppress them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organic Matter and Drainage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Due to its abundant biomass and dense root system, barley improves both water filtration and soil structure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrients<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Barley takes up nitrogen while growing that can be returned to the soil in the barley residue. It also improves potassium and phosphorus cycling when the residue is left to rot down in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crop Support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Due to its upright posture and open canopy, barley is an excellent crop to help support legumes. As it is less competitive than other grains and uses a smaller amount of water, it won\u2019t compete too much. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On land with a weed problem, the legume should be sown when the barley has reached the four to five-leaf stage and has been mechanically weeded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is easy to kill off with a grass weedkiller, making it helpful to grow with sugarbeet seedlings to act as protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pest Control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aphids, leafhoppers, root-knot nematodes, armyworms, and a variety of other pests can be reduced by growing barley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Conditions Does Barley Need to Grow?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Barley prefers fertile, well-drained soil and does well in loams or light clay where winters are cool and dry. It is, however, quite adaptable and will also be fine on drought-prone or relatively alkaline soil that isn\u2019t too heavy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It grows best in soil with a pH of between 5 and 7, and although barley was often considered as a crop to grow on poor soils, it will yield far more on a good one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fertile soil, barley can yield 20% more than a wheat crop<\/a>. Some farmers have even achieved more than this. Managing nitrogen availability is key to getting optimum yields of high-quality barley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soil should be tested for nutrient deficiencies and adjusted accordingly. Check for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, sulfur, copper, manganese, and molybdenum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a wide range of barley varieties to choose from that grow in many different circumstances. Ensure you find one adapted to your specific growing conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have weedy, eroded, or overworked fields, barley is an excellent choice as a cover crop component. It can help improve nutrient cycling and soil tilth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a cover crop in spring, it is possible to grow further north than any other cereals due to its short growing period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this video, you can see some useful tips on growing and harvesting barley<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Fq2cPrr145o<\/a>