Have you ever baked your own bread? You should definitely try it because the difference in taste is clearly noticeable. It is even better and, above all, he althier if you use your own grown grain to make the dough. But it takes some time before you can harvest and grind the grains. Everything starts with sowing, which this article will inform you about in detail.
How can you sow grain yourself?
To sow grain yourself, first select the right type of grain, prepare the nutrient-rich soil with compost and level it. Then scatter the seeds, cover them with soil and water daily. A protective net helps against birds.
Choice of varieties
Grain types are divided into summer and winter varieties. Depending on which variant you choose, the recommended sowing date varies.
- Winter wheat: sowing in autumn, harvesting in May
- Summer wheat: sowing in spring, harvesting in autumn
Soil requirements of spring wheat
- calcareous
- nutrient-rich
- profound
- pH value of 6.5-7
Soil requirements of winter wheat
best to sow after root crops or rapeseed
Instructions
- Enrich the soil with compost.
- Level the earth.
- Spread the seeds on the ground.
- There are around 85 g of seeds per ten square meters.
- Cover the seeds with soil using a rake.
- Cover the area with a close-meshed net (€16.00 on Amazon) to protect it from birds.
- Water the seeds daily.
- The first sprouts will appear soon.
- You can see how grains gradually form and the shoots turn golden.
More tips
- There are both winter-hardy and frost-sensitive types of spring wheat. You can sow the former from January to March. The latter only later in spring.
- The soil should be firm at the bottom and loose at the top.
- You can accelerate germination by adding heat.
- Late sowing requires more seeds as the soil is very dry in summer.
- The sowing depth is on average 2 to 4 cm. This value varies depending on the humidity.
- If you sow the seeds too deep, you will develop a weak plant.
- Keep the bed free of weeds.
- If grain cultivation follows corn cultivation, you should dig the soil well.
- Winter wheat sown too early is more susceptible to disease.
