Planting & Growing Oats at Home: Guide for Beginners

Oats can be used to make food for yourself or for livestock, and are one of the easiest grains to grow. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to grow oats, including when and how to plant them, how to care for them while they grow, and how to harvest and store them. Plus, learn the difference between hulled and hulless oats and how to troubleshoot common problems when growing oats.

How to Plant & Harvest Oats: Quick Overview

Till a plot of well-draining soil in a sunny area and sow oat seeds ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) apart in evenly spaced rows. Water them regularly for about 12 weeks, then harvest when the seed heads are hard and dry. Cut the seed heads from the stalks, then separate the grain with your fingers.

Section 1 of 5:

Planting and Growing Oats

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When you choose to plant your seeds depends on what you plan to use the oats for. If you're growing oats for food, plant them in the spring so you have a summer harvest. If you're growing oats for ground cover, plant your seeds in the early spring for green manure or in the fall if you’re hoping to get a winter-killed ground cover.^{[1]
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Till a plot in a sunny area with well-draining soil. If you only have a small garden plot, it’s still possible to grow oats. Remove all weeds from the area, and use a tiller or cultivator to till the soil and prepare it for planting. Oats prefer full sun and flourish in soil that has a pH between 4.5 and 6, so it helps to test the soil with a commercial pH probe or pH test strip before tilling.^{[2]
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- Raise the soil’s pH by adding limestone to it, or lower the pH by adding a fertilizer that contains ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, or urea.^{[3]
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- Oats have a difficult time growing if they’re in a weed-infested area, so use a weeding tool (like a Cape Cod Weeder) to loosen the soil around weeds and then pull them out of the ground one by one.
- When tilling, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions and push the tiller in parallel lines across the entire area you plan to use for planting. Then, push the tiller in lines that are perpendicular to the others. If you don’t have a tiller, rent one from a home improvement store or a lawn and garden equipment rental store.
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Each row of dirt should be about 3 inches (7.6 cm) wide with a 7.5–12 inches (19–30 cm) gap between the rows. Within each row, drop a seed onto the top of the soil every ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm). Continue doing this until you’ve filled the planting area completely.^{[4]
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Rake 1 inch (2.5 cm) of dirt over the seeds. Lightly rake dirt over the seeds so birds or other pests don’t get to them before they can germinate. If you don’t have a rake on hand, try walking over each row of seeds to push them down.^{[5]
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- If your soil has a high clay content, avoid walking over it, as it could become too compacted. Don’t walk over the soil when it’s wet, either.
- If your soil is wet or easily compacted, place a wooden board over it and walk across the board instead.
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Keep the soil continuously moist. Oats require more moisture than most other grains. Stick your fingers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) or so into the soil as often as possible to make sure that it doesn’t feel dry. When it does feel dry, water the oats to encourage them to thrive. ^{[6]
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- In general, watering is all you’ll need to do to care for the oats while they grow. They don’t typically need fertilizer.
In general, oats start to sprout within a few weeks and continue to grow for 80-110 days depending on the growing conditions. When you water your oats, check the area for weeds and remove any that have popped up. This will ensure that your oats continue to thrive and grow properly until it’s time to harvest.^{[7]
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Section 2 of 5:

Harvesting the Oats

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Harvest the oats when the seed heads are hard and dry. This is typically about 12 weeks after planting. Gently touch the seed heads to see if they’re damp or dry. Once they’re dry to the touch, cut them off of the rest of the plant with garden shears, or simply snap them off with your hands. If you find they aren’t as dry as they should be after you’ve removed them, store them in a warm, dry area for a few days or weeks to cure.^{[8]
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- Alternatively, use a scythe or sickle to cut the oats at the stalk, then tie them together in a bundle and store them in a greenhouse or shed to allow them to dry before removing the grain. This method may be better if you plan on using the oats for hay.
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Winnow the oats. Winnowing refers to separating the grain from the seed heads. Once the seed heads are dry, place them into a bucket and shake it to crack them open. Then, pull the grains out by hand and discard the seed heads. Put the grain in another bucket or container so you don’t lose any.^{[9]
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- There are a number of other ways to thresh the grains, including putting them in a pillowcase and beating them against a wall, or tossing the seed heads up in the wind.
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Store the oats in a cool, dry area for up to 3 months. Threshed oats will stay fresh in an airtight container kept away from heat and moisture. Alternatively, freeze them for up to 2 years for a long-term storage option.^{[10]
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- If you have farm animals, put the discarded stalks in your barn stalls and use them for bedding.

Section 3 of 5:

Types of Oats & Their Uses

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Hulless oats are whole oats that, as the name suggests, do not have an exterior hull. They require less processing after harvest and can be easily rolled or ground into flour. These oats can be eaten in all kinds of ways, including oatmeal, oat milk, and in various baked goods.^{[11]
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Regular oats have a hard shell called a hull, which is often difficult to remove without the help of machinery. Typically, these oats are grown for various agricultural reasons, like growing hay or making feed or bedding for livestock.^{[12]
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Section 4 of 5:

Troubleshooting Common Problems

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Why are my oats not growing? Usually, too little water will stunt the growth of oats. This could eventually cause the plant to die if not taken care of, so it’s important to monitor how much water the plant receives. Stick your fingers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) into the soil. If it’s dry, water the oats.^{[13]
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- Be careful not to water the oats too much, however, as this could lead to rot. If the soil feels damp or wet when you stick your fingers in it, hold off on watering until it’s dry again.
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What do I do if pests are attacking the plant? Pests like armyworms and aphids often attack the leaves of oats and other plants. To prevent this, first knock them off by spraying the plants with jets of water. Then, spray the plants with neem oil to keep the pests from coming back. Stinkbugs and wireworms also like to attack young plants, so keep them away by removing weeds and other debris from the area.^{[14]
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- Rotating your crops each year will also help keep pests at bay.
Most oat diseases are fungal and caused by overly damp conditions, so make sure you don’t water the plants too frequently. Diseases like anthracnose, crown rust, and powdery mildew can be prevented by growing your crops in a warm, dry area and practicing crop rotation. Barley yellow dwarf is a virus transmitted by aphids, so controlling the aphid population is the best defense.^{[15]
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Section 5 of 5:

Growing Oats FAQs

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Oats are generally hardy and easy to grow. Once you plant them, they don’t need much care other than regular watering. They don’t typically need fertilizer, and you don’t have to worry about pruning them. Keep pests away and your oats will usually thrive.^{[16]
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Can you grow oats from oatmeal? Oats can only be propagated from whole oat seeds. Oatmeal is made from oats that have been steamed, ground, rolled, or steel-cut. Because these oats have been processed and roasted, they won’t grow new oats if you plant them.^{[17]
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- If you’re not sure where to buy oat seeds, check your local livestock feed store.
Oats should be grown outdoors. Oats need direct sunlight and plenty of water (especially from rainfall), and they often grow up to 4 ft (122 cm) tall, so it isn’t really feasible to grow them indoors.^{[18]
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If you don’t want to harvest a lot of oats, it’s technically possible to grow them in containers. Plant 3-5 seeds in a 6 in (15.24 cm) pot, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep. Water only when the soil is dry, and add a little fertilizer after about a month. Make sure the oats get plenty of direct sunlight.^{[19]
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What is the crop yield of oats?

Ninox

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Oat usually produce 300 g per square meter (9 oz per square yard), but it depends on the variety and the growth conditions.

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Where can I get oat seeds?

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You could order them online or buy them from your local garden store. ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍ ‍

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Can you grow them from packaged oatmeal bought at a store?

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No, this won't work as most of the oats will have the husk removed by machine. It might work if they still have the husk, so you could try to sprout a few test oats before planting the whole packet but don't be surprised if this fails to work.

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Things You'll Need

Commercial probe or pH testing strips
Weeding tools
Tiller or cultivator
Garden shears (optional)
Bucket or pillowcase
Airtight container

Tips

In general, oats grow best in temperate climates, but many varieties have adapted to grow in all kinds of areas.

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Store cooked oats in the refrigerator for 4-6 days.

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