Have you fulfilled your dream of self-sufficiency and are now successfully cultivating grain in your garden? If you have chosen the right date for sowing, the stalks will thrive and promise a bountiful harvest. But this raises the question of when you should harvest the ears of corn. This article will provide you with comprehensive information about the right time.
Grain is usually harvested in midsummer
Ripening time of the grain varieties
The grain harvest season usually begins in mid-June and ends in late August. The first variety to be harvested is barley. Only grain maize is only brought in from September to November. However, farmers start harvesting green rye even earlier than they do with barley. The reason: unlike real rye, green rye is not used to make bread, but is used for other purposes:
- in biogas plants
- as animal feed
Info: When sowing, a distinction is made between winter and summer cereals that are sown at different times. For the harvest time, however, the type of grain is irrelevant. Since summer cereals grow much faster, both varieties are harvested from July. However, winter cereals produce better yields due to the longer ripening period.
Precise recommendations are only possible to a limited extent
The harvest time of grain is mainly determined by the moisture contained in the grains. Only when this is less than 15% is the grain considered ready for harvest. If you want to determine the exact harvest time of your own grown ears of corn, you should check the grains daily. If it rains during the harvest, you are forced to stop work.
exceptions
However, it is also possible to harvest grain if the residual moisture is above the specified value. To prevent mold from forming during storage, it is important to cool the grains down to 7°C and allow them to dry thoroughly.