Growing Grains: An Introduction to Cultivating at Home

Grains are a worldwide staple. While large, flowing fields might come to mind when you think about growing them, they can work very well on a small scale.

With the right conditions, even a small patch of garden can produce a harvest of grain that can be dried, stored, milled, or used as seed for the following season.

In this article, we'll look at what you need to grow grains at home, and some of the grains that are particularly well suited to small gardens.

Grains

Cereal grains are the seeds of grasses, which makes them incredibly versatile and tolerant of a variety of growing conditions.

There are warm- and cool-season varieties, as well as grains that can thrive in poor soils, clay soils, nutrient-rich soils, and everything in between. Grains are generally low-maintenance plants, and because many grow densely once established, they can suppress weeds reasonably well.

The different grain species and varieties are incredibly diverse, and for most climates, there is a grain that will grow well there. Almost all of the grains we'll discuss are annuals, so they are relatively easy to manage within your garden.

Grains can be harvested and processed at home, or they can be easily turned into bird feed. From my small experiments with growing grain, both the birds and I love it. Strictly speaking, not everything we commonly call a grain is a true cereal grain. Plants such as amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat are pseudograins because while they are not grasses, they produce seeds that can be harvested and used in many of the same ways as cereal grains, despite belonging to different plant families. For the purposes of this article, we'll include them alongside true grains.

In this article, we won’t cover individual planting, growing, and harvesting requirements in detail. For this information, visit the Plant Profile, where you’ll find more information on each plant.

Choosing a Grain

One of the first things to consider when choosing a grain is how it pollinates. Some grains are largely self-pollinating and can produce viable seed even when grown in relatively small numbers. Others rely more heavily on pollen from neighboring plants and need to be grown in larger numbers for reliable pollination.

This distinction is particularly important in a small garden. A crop such as corn benefits from being planted in a block or several short rows, while a self-pollinating grain like wheat can produce a harvest from a much smaller planting.

Grains can also be divided broadly into warm- and cool-season crops. Wheat, barley, oats, and rye are generally grown during cooler parts of the year, while corn, amaranth, millet, and sorghum prefer warmer temperatures. Choosing a grain suited to your growing season will make a significant difference in how well it performs.

Processing the Harvest

Another consideration is what you plan to do with the harvest. Some grains require relatively little processing before they can be eaten, while others need to be threshed, winnowed, hulled, or milled. If you are primarily interested in growing grain for food, consider whether you have the time and equipment needed to process your harvest at home. If processing isn't important to you, many grains can also be left standing as food for birds or saved as seed.

Corn and amaranth are perhaps the easiest grains to grow at home. Corn requires minimal processing before eating, and amaranth’s leaves are edible along with the seeds, making it extra space-efficient.

A Handful of Grains

Wheat

Wheat is largely self-pollinating, so even a small planting can produce viable seed. Wheat can be grown in the spring and in the winter, which can make it an excellent use of space before you plant your warm-season crops.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is a fast-growing pseudograin that is particularly useful in a garden because of its short growing season. It can go from seed to harvest relatively quickly and is also commonly grown as a cover crop. It prefers warm conditions and is generally straightforward to grow, making it a good choice for beginners.

Corn

Corn is wind-pollinated, so it should be planted in a block or several short rows rather than as a single line. This gives the plants a much better chance of catching enough pollen to produce well-filled ears. Corn is a warm-season crop and needs plenty of sunlight, but it is otherwise one of the simplest grains to grow and harvest at home.

Corn can be hand-pollinated, though it is a little tricky. To hand-pollinate corn, collect pollen from the tassel at the top of the plant and gently shake or brush it directly onto the fresh silks emerging from the ear below. Every single strand of silk must receive pollen to grow a full, kernel-packed ear.

Oats

Oats are one of the easier cool-season grains to grow and are largely self-pollinating, meaning you don't need a large planting to produce viable seed. They prefer cooler weather and reasonably moist soil, and can produce a useful grain harvest without requiring particularly rich soil.

Rice

Rice is largely self-pollinating, so pollination is not a major concern even in a small planting. The greater challenge is providing the warm temperatures and abundant moisture it needs to grow well. Rice is therefore more of an experimental crop for most home gardeners, particularly outside climates with long, hot growing seasons.

Quinoa and Amaranth

These pseudograins self-pollinate and do not require a large planting for seed production. While quinoa prefers cooler conditions, amaranth will thrive in extreme heat. The leaves of both are edible and work well in salads.

Growing Native

For many regions, there are native and heirloom varieties of grains that are well adapted to local conditions. In the desert Southwest of the USA, for example, many varieties of corn have been cultivated for generations and are well suited to the region's unique growing conditions. Some have even been selected to grow and mature during the monsoon season.

Growing grains and leaving some of the plants standing for birds during the winter can also be a simple way to support local biodiversity. Native and heirloom varieties can be particularly valuable, as they may provide a familiar source of food for local wildlife while preserving plants that are well adapted to the region.

Wrapping Up

Don’t be afraid to grow grains at home, even if it’s just for the birds. Grains are well suited to gardens of many sizes and can be surprisingly easy to grow with the right variety and growing conditions.