Growing Oats at Home for Food- Learn How to Grow Healthy Oat Grains at Home

My morning starts with a hot bowl of oatmeal and a cup of tea. Many of us understand the health benefits of oatmeal and buy the cereal regularly, but have you ever wondered, "Can you grow oats for food at home?"

Growing healthy oat in home gardens is, really, no different than growing lawn grass except you don't have to mix the seed heads, you eat them. Are you interested in homemade oatmeal? Read on to learn how to grow oats at home.

#Can you grow healthy oats at home?

Oats are used in many ways, whether they are crushed or rolled or ground into flour. Oats are even used to brew beer in England, and a cold drink made from ground oats and milk is popular in Latin America.

But I digress, we asked about growing oats in home gardens. Even if you have a small garden you can grow your own oats. The introduction of hulled oats made it even easier to grow your own oats, as they required less post-harvest processing.

#How to grow healthy oats at home

Sow the seeds outdoors in a sunny area with well-drained soil. Simply scatter them over a well-cultivated area. Try to spread them fairly evenly.Scatter the seeds then very lightly rake the surface. The goal here is to cover the seeds with an inch (2.5 cm.) or so of soil so that birds can't get to them before they can germinate.

After sowing your oat seeds, keep the area moist while your native oat grains germinate. Keep watered as they grow because oats like more moisture than most other grains. Further care for oat crops in the yard is minimal.

There is no need to weed, and the density of the crop would make it useless to even try. Within 45 days, the green kernels at the top of the stalk should turn cream and the oats will be between 2 to 5 feet (0.6 to 1.5 m) tall.

#Harvest healthy domestic oats

Don't wait to harvest the kernels are hard because you will probably lose a bunch. The grain should still be soft and easy to crack with your fingernail. To harvest, cut the seeds from the stalk as much as possible. More is better because you have less straw to mix when threshing grain.

Now that the oats have been harvested, you need to let them harden. The length of the curing time varies depending on the weather and can be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Store the oats in a warm, dry place while they dry.

When the grain is ripe, you can beat the oats. Spread a tarp or sheet, then either stomp on the oats that have been separated from the stalk (cover the oats first before stomping over the entire surface) or use another tool, such as a plastic baseball bat, to 'to pluck oats from the stone ). Then divide the oats from what remains. Throw the oats into the wind, and scoop them into a bowl or bucket.

The loose chaff is blown away and the oats heavier fall back into bowl or bucket. Shelled oats can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.