Barley

Barley was one of the first domesticated cereal grains and now sees many possible use cases as a cover crop and/or forage crop. There are both winter and spring varieties available. Barley grows upright – up to 2-4ft tall and grows across many environments. While a stronger winter survivor than oats, it will winterkill before crops like triticale and rye. Though not tolerant of poorly drained soils, barley can survive alkaline soils and high elevation better than any other small grain and is fully tolerant of lighter and lower fertility soils. Barley is fast growing and is an excellent nurse crop for more delicate legumes and broadleaves. It’s fast growing nature allows it to outcompete weeds and establish quickly. Roots develop quickly and can grow up to 6.5 feet deep, protecting the soil from erosion. Barley’s fast growing nature also allows it to produce large amounts of biomass (up to 12900lbs/ac). This combination makes it a top choice for rejuvenating overtaxed land. In addition to these benefits, barley is also a host for beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. Deep fibrous roots make it an excellent scavenger of nitrogen and other nutrients. It is a very water efficient plant and can produce forage even in low water conditions. Spring barley seeded in late summer/early fall, in particular, makes a great forage crop – outpacing oats in fall growth.

Barley makes an excellent base for many types of mixes. On its own it has a very high carbon to nitrogen ratio, meaning it will breakdown slowly. When paired with legumes and broadleaves this can create a synergistic mix providing groundcover and nutrients over the next year. Barley can be seeded ahead of corn or soybeans.

Barley can be terminated via herbicide or mechanically (mowing or roller crimping during soft dough stage). Spring barley will winterkill in much of the Midwest, while winter barley has good winter survivability in the Central and Southern Midwest and typically winterkills in the Northern Midwest.