WINTER OATS
Cool Season - Grass
SOIL ADAPTABILITY:
Drainage: Relativley poorly drained to well-
drained soil
Fertility: Good tolerance to low fertility
pH Level: 4.5 - 6.5
Minimum Soil Germination Temp: 38°F
Sunlight: Low shade tolerance
SEEDING / GROWTH:
Dates: Late February to the end of March
6 to 8 weeks before average first frost
Rates:
Precision: Not recommended
Drilled: 64 lb/A, 3/4" to 1 1/2" deep
Broadcast: 78 lb/A
Aerial: 94lb/A
Average seeds/lb: 19,600
Inoculate: NR*
Emergence: 5-8 days
Height: 3' - 6'
Drought & Heat: Low drought tolerance
Low Heat tolerance
Flooding: Tolerates brief flooding
PROS:
-
Reliable Fall Cover
-
Low Cost
-
Weed suppressing biomass
-
Improve Legume Productivity
-
Low fertility soil tolerance
CONS:
-
Early termination can hinder biomass production.
-
Not a good subsoiler
If you need a low-cost, reliable fall cover that winterkills in Hardiness Zone 6 and colder and much of Zone 7, look no further. Oats provide quick, weed-suppressing biomass, take up excess soil nutrients, and can improve the productivity of legumes when planted in mixtures. The cover's fibrous root system also holds soil during cool-weather gaps in rotations, and the ground cover provides a mellow mulch before low-till or no-till crops. Oats take up excess N and small amounts of P and K when planted early. Late-summer plantings can absorb as much as 77 lb. N/A in an eight-ten week period.