Do you want to plant winter wheat? Are you looking for the perfect time to plant it? Find out when you should plant winter wheat here!
What is Wheat?
You are probably picturing a golden brown toned grass on your head! Or even better, you are probably thinking of all the food that comes from wheat. Wheat is basically that golden brown grass and its seed is what we consume. Farmers harvest wheat and cultivate the seeds to transform that into flour and tons of other edible things.
Wheat is truly a controversial food choice. It is a nightmare to some people and on the other hand, it works like a magic wand to others. You are familiar with gluten, right? Wheat contains gluten that triggers the overall wellness of some peoples’ health. For them, consuming wheat or food that contains even a dash of wheat is a big no!
On the other hand, people who can consume wheat without any hesitation can actually take some nutrients from wheat. For instance, wheat contains antioxidants, fibers, vitamins, and minerals. In some cases, wheat is better than rice for all the nutrients it contains. So, if you are planning to eat healthily, then now you know where to switch to!
Types of Wheat
Wheat comes in six different types. These different types of wheat are used in the processing and preparing different types of food! Let’s get to know about these different types of wheat-
Hard Red Winter. These types of wheat come in great use in confectionery. Starting from bread to croissants, name anything! All these are made of hard red winter wheat. Noodles are very popular in Asia. These Asian noodles are made of kinds of wheat like this.
Soft Red Winter. These types of wheat are very common in bakery items. You can bake cookies, cakes, even crackers in some cases with the soft red winter wheat. Some types of bread also contain a certain amount of these types of wheat. In addition to that, some baguettes require soft red winter wheat too!
Hard Red Spring. Do you ever wonder what are some well designed or fancy food items made of? For instance, different types of rolls, bagels, innovations in pizza crusts, and loaves of bread. All of these are made of hard red spring wheat. You can try baking yourself with this one. The results are incredible.
Hard White. Asians are very innovative in their cuisine. Their food tastes fantastic too with blends of flavors. Asian noodles are very popular around the world. The secret behind these exquisite and delicious noodles have been unveiled. They use hard white wheat in preparing these noodles. You can bake flatbread with this type of wheat too.
Soft White. The specialty of soft white wheat is the way it mills due to its low moisture. In addition, it is preferably used in bringing whiteness to food. Most exquisite cakes are made of these types of wheat. Confectionery items are made of soft white wheat too. Lastly, Asian noodles also proportionately contain this one for its moisture and brightness.
Durum. This is the last type of wheat. Darum wheat is enriched with gluten so heads up to you if you cannot. In addition, Durum also contains rich amber. You will find the top-notch pasta has Durum as the core ingredient. Mediterranean bread is also made of this type of wheat. It is known as the hardest wheat among the six types of wheat.
Why Should You Plant Wheat?
Wheat is a huge source of nourishment for your body. We have already seen that so many foods that we regularly eat as breakfast, snacks, or dessert are made of wheat. So, planting wheat on your own will be beneficial for you. If you produce excess capacity then you can sell it even in the local market and earn some extra cash while staying healthy.
After planting wheat, you have to later convert it to flour that is edible and usable in making more edible delicacies. That’s a long process but the outcomes are worth the hassle. So, give your shot if you are planning on doing so!
Planting Wheat
If you are scared of planting wheat then let us assure you that it is not that tough. In fact, planting grains like wheat is far easier than planting any type of fruits or vegetables. Also, it does not require a huge amount of space to produce wheat. You can do your job within one thousand square feet. That’s not a lot of space. Even you can do this in your backyard. You can grow a bushel of wheat within that space capacity.
When to Plant Winter Wheat
Seeing all the options you can get from winter wheat, if you are planning on planting winter wheat then check out how can you do that-
The best time to sow winter wheat is late August to early September. You can start sowing at any time during this period of time to produce the best winter wheat. The most appropriate temperature for the soil is around 54 to 77 degrees. This is the most ideal range of temperature for the germination of wheat seed.
Make sure you are sowing inside a shallow seedbed. This seedbed helps the plant have access to an adequate amount of water it requires. Keep it this way for the next four to five weeks for the plant to grow to an extent.
For the next four weeks let your flower start giving signals to flower the coming spring and harden off the chilly weather. The plant will be ready as winter wheat to provide its maximum wheat by the next spring, having two to three leaves.
Final Say
If you are wondering if these types of winter wheat will grow back themselves or not then here’s what you should know- as long as you don’t try to harvest the heads of all the grains, these grains will grow back again in the following spring!