How to grow Oats in our backyards

Have you ever considered growing and harvesting oats at home as we understand its benefits and include it in breakfast and dinner? Growing oats is as easy as growing grass on a lawn.

Oats are used in many ways. This grain is used to make different types of food items, to make beer, mix with milk to prepare cool drinks, etc.

How to grow oats at home

Oat seeds should be sown in a place where enough water and sun light are available.  Make it sure that seeds are covered with an inch-thick soil. This will prevent the birds from digging out the seeds before they could germinate. Stick your fingers about 1 inch or so into the soil as often as possible to make sure that it doesn’t feel dry. When it does feel dry, water the oats to encourage them to thrive.Oat seeds germinate only when they receive enough moisture. Within 45 days, the green portion which appear on the seed heads turn creamy and later on they reach upto 2-5 feet height. 

As you watch the oats grow and develop seed heads, gently touch a few of them to see if they are damp or dry. Once, they are dry to the touch, it’s time to harvest the oats.

Cut the seed heads off from the rest of the plant.Ensure that seed heads are cutting off from the top of the stalk as much as possible, so that the amount of straw can be reduced during harvesting.  Put the seed heads into a bucket and shake it to crack open the seed heads. Then, pull out the grains by hand.The oats and the husk-like powder obtained after threshing should be transferred to a bucket, shaken up and the light dust should be blown away. Then the thick oats can be collected at the bottom of the bucket.

The grain can be dried for a few days or weeks, depending on the weather. Harvested oats should be stored in a dry, warm place.