For millennia, barley has been cultivated as food for humans and animals. Among cereals, barley is an early ripening crop, unpretentious and growing in both irrigated and arid regions. It is inferior in popularity to wheat, corn and rice. It is high in fiber and low in fat.
Instructions
Step 1
Choose a plot of land with well-drained soil that is free from weeds. Barley does not need the soil to be rich in nutrients. Make furrows about 50 centimeters apart, which is suitable for planting all types of grains and vegetables.
Step 2
Plant barley seeds 3 to 4 centimeters deep at 60 to 80 pieces per square meter. You can plant barley in both autumn and spring. Winter barley should be planted in October, and spring barley in May. The grain begins to germinate at temperatures close to freezing (1-3 degrees Celsius). During the germination period, seeds are sensitive to unfavorable factors: lack of moisture in the soil or, conversely, excessive moisture, crust formation on the surface of the earth due to frost, deep planting of the seed or freezing at low temperatures and shallow sowing.
Step 3
After seed germination, it takes about 2 weeks until the roots begin tillering. When the seedlings are hardened, the barley sprouts easily, even at night. The root system of barley is highly developed, penetrates deep into the ground and begins to bush, occupying a large area and clogging the roots of weeds. Up to 7 stems of a plant can grow from one root bush. The optimum growth temperature is 18 - 25 degrees Celsius.
Step 4
Don't water the barley a lot, often. During grain filling, excess moisture can lengthen the ripening period, and with drought and high temperatures, a forced rapid ripening occurs. In both cases, the grain does not take in nutrients and loses its presentation.
Step 5
Harvest when the barley is ripe. The plant becomes brittle and takes on a golden color. The barley grain is wrapped in a tough film. This feature allows you to harvest ahead of time, which is very important in bad northern weather conditions. Unripe barley grains collected in sheaves will ripen to full-value.
