table of contents
- Barley / spring barley
- rye
- wheat
- oats
- Corn
- Triticale
- frequently asked Questions
The harvest of grain in this country is mainly dependent on the weather. When it comes to the right time, the most important thing is the moisture content of the grains, which should be below 15 percent. Today, harvesting is usually done with combine harvesters.
In a nutshell
- The most important types of grain in Central Europe are barley, rye, wheat, oats, maize and triticale
- When to harvest depends largely on the weather and the moisture content of the grains
- Harvesting usually takes place from mid-June to late August
- For us, the sequence of when to harvest traditionally begins with the spring barley
- Today, combine harvesters are used almost exclusively, which mow and thresh the grain at the same time
Barley / spring barley
Spring barley is usually sown between late February and early April. It is mainly grown as feed for animals or later used as so-called brewing barley. A distinction is made between summer and winter barley. After sowing, spring barley ripens within a period of less than 100 days and can then usually still be harvested in the summer months. The harvest of grain in Germany therefore traditionally begins with this grain. The exact point in time when spring barley can actually be harvested, however, as with all types of grain, depends on the moisture content of the grains, which must be below 15 percent.
Note: Barley must not become damp during storage and must be stored dry if possible.
Winter barley is of course harvested much later as it naturally ripe later. Winter barley needs more warmth to ripen than spring barley. It is harvested when it is yellow or Fully ripe.
rye
In the harvest order of Cereals then comes the rye. It usually reaches its fruiting maturity in the months of July to August. Here in Central Europe, this so-called winter roe is grown almost exclusively. The reason are its advantages:
- hardy grain
- withstands temperatures of down to minus 25 degrees Celsius
- Sowing can be done as early as mid-September to mid-October
- Fruit ripening is reached after 280 to 320 days
wheat
Wheat places significantly higher demands on the climate and the soil than all other types of grain. On the other hand, it copes quite well with dry, very warm summers.
- winter wheat is predominantly grown in Germany
- Sowing takes place in autumn of the previous year from the end of September to mid-December
- Harvesting the grain in midsummer of the following year
Wheat is perhaps the most important type of grain in our latitudes. As ground flour, it is a central component in most types of bread and for that reason alone is of paramount importance as a staple food.
oats
Oats, also known as seed oats, are mainly grown as animal feed and human food (oat flakes). This grain can usually be harvested from mid-August. It has usually been around six months since the seeds were sown.
Note: Oats are considered a so-called recovery fruit, as many grain pests cannot multiply in them.
Corn
With the maize harvest, the grain harvest normally closes with us in the annual cycle. Maize is of enormous economic importance and is not only consumed directly as grain maize, but is also an important feed for animals and a supplier of raw materials. In addition, it forms the basis for the operation of biogas plants, i.e. it also serves to generate electricity. In Germany, maize is growing too
- 62 percent used as feed corn and
- 38 percent as energy maize for the biogas plant.
Corn is considered a renewable raw material for a reason. Sweet corn and vegetable corn should normally be harvested at the milk-ripe stage, which is reached between July and September. However, the main harvest time for May is usually the month of August.
Triticale
Triticale is a relatively young grain that has so far only had a low level of awareness. It is a cross between wheat and rye. Where the grain is grown, the harvest usually takes place in midsummer.
frequently asked Questions
The experience of the respective farmer plays the central role. He knows exactly the interplay between climate and soil and can therefore usually tell by simply feeling when it is time to harvest.
An extremely important one. In principle, farmers want the grain harvest to be as dry and sunny as possible. There are two reasons for this: on the one hand, the grain can be brought in as dry as possible, on the other hand it does not exist the danger that the shear agricultural machines (combine harvesters and tractors) get stuck in the mud in the fields stay.
Because it is the most efficient way of harvesting to date. The great advantage of the combine harvester is that it mows the grain and threshes it at the same time. The two most important work steps are done at once. That saves time and money.
