QA

Question: When To Plant Oats In Michigan

Winter small grains can be planted in August but are unlikely to produce harvestable forage mass in fall. Oats planted between July 15 and Aug. 15 are timed to reach boot stage (about six weeks after planting) right at first frost and can provide excellent forage.

When should I plant oats in Michigan?

For maximum cover crop benefit oats should be planted six to ten weeks prior to a frost. Oats can be drilled, broadcasted or aerial applied. Drilling the oats will provide the best results. If you are going to drill them drill them to a depth of one half to one inch.

What month do you plant oats?

Moderately fertile soil gives the best stands. Late-summer/early-fall planting. For a winterkilled cover, spring oats usually are seeded in late summer or early fall in Zone 7 or colder. Broadcasting or overseeding will give the best results for the least cost, unless seeding into heavy residue.

How late can you plant spring oats?

Oats can be used for grazing and can be planted in both the spring and fall. Oats can provide a very palatable, high quantity, of a moderate quality forage. Spring oats can be planted in the fall for late fall and winter grazing. Oats will continue growing long after they would need to be cut for hay.

How late in the year can you plant oats?

Oat can be planted in late winter through early spring for use as forage or hay and offer some help for increasing a short forage supply. However, this option can be somewhat expensive with substantial risk involved due to weather, insects and diseases.

How late can you plant oats in Michigan?

Winter small grains can be planted in August but are unlikely to produce harvestable forage mass in fall. Oats planted between July 15 and Aug. 15 are timed to reach boot stage (about six weeks after planting) right at first frost and can provide excellent forage.

Are oats easy to grow?

It is very possible to grow your own oats even if you only have a small garden plot. The introduction of hull-less oats has made it even easier to grow your own oats since they need less processing once harvested.

Can you plant oats in June?

Oats can also be planted in the summer as an early fall forage for harvest or grazing. Summer oats has a wide planting window but performs much better with an application of nitrogen and may benefit from a fungicide application to improve quality.

Can feed oats be planted?

Both Smith and Kilcer recommend seeding 90 to 100 pounds of seed per acre. Ohio’s Smith also offers the option of planting feed grade oats as seed. He points out that feed oats are usually triple cleaned to eliminate weed seeds and provide horse-quality feed.

Will oats grow back after cutting?

Manage initial oat growth before it gets too tall. “Oats grows rapidly. Once it gets 5-6 in. tall, it quickly can shoot up to a foot tall in almost no time. As nice as this sounds, if initial oat growth gets that tall it may not stool out, tiller, and regrow after grazing very well.

Can you plant oats in May?

Spring-planted oat has been a “go to” forage crop for southern Great Plains beef producers for years. It is a good option when winter wheat was not planted in the fall due to wet conditions, or, as may be the case in certain areas of Oklahoma this year, when wheat failed to emerge due to drought.

Can you plant oats in April?

In the western Corn Belt, the usual planting window for spring oats is between March 15 and April 1 with an optimum planting time during the third week of March. If dry weather and above freezing temperatures occur in late February and early March, the planting date can be shifted closer to March 15.

Do oats need fertilizer?

The seeding rate of wheat or oats should be from 90 to 120 lb/A. Fall Fertilization for Grazing and Grain: Incorporate any needed phosphorus and potassium into the seedbed before planting. Fall nitrogen should be applied at the rate of 80-100 lb/A where fall and winter grazing are needed.

Can I plant oats in December?

Oats can be planted from September through December depending on the planting location. Oats generally need temperatures above 50 F for emergence and early growth. If planted too early, armyworms can be problematic in oats.

What stage do you cut oats for hay?

Oats should be harvested for hay in the late boot to early heading stage. Harvested at the soft dough stage, hay should have an approximate TDN of 56% with 10% protein. A nitrate test is recommended when harvesting oats for hay.

How long does it take for oats to emerge?

Oats days to maturity It takes about two months for oats to reach their maturity. Even though the deer are most attracted to oats during the growing stage, oats that reach maturity are still very attractive to deer all through the winter months.

How many pounds of oats do you plant per acre?

A recommended seeding rate for oats would be 30 to 40 pounds per acre and 3 pounds per acre for turnips when planted in a mix. Seeding at these rates will result in a seed cost of around $15 to $18 per acre plus an additional $15 per acre for seeding.

Will oats overwinter?

Oats will not survive the winter in the central and northern Great Plains. It is hard to beat oats for fall forage production. Winter species planted in the late summer or early fall will be vegetative only with minimal stem elongation. Forage yield be lower, but with high quality suitable for grazing.

How cold can oats tolerate?

Oats are a cool-weather crop that can tolerate light frosts but is usually killed by temperatures below 5F (-15C).