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Dear Jeff,
Regarding your recent column
in New Farm, I'm thinking of trying oats on a spare 15
acres here on eastern Long Island. It's been cover-cropped
for three years and is in good shape.
What variety/varieties do you use? I see you drill it, but
I might broadcast and roll it in. I guess you harvest with
a combine (I'd have to contract that out).
Thanks for your time and good advice.
Peter Garnham
Dear Peter,
The variety we are currently planting is called ‘Blaze.’
Before switching to this variety, we were planting ‘Ogle.’
I'd check with your county extension agent to see what variety
might do best for you under your own local conditions. One
thing to consider is your planting date. For us here in eastern
Pennsylvania--and you should be about the same--the target
date is late March.
Oats like cool soil to germinate in. That's one of the beauties
of most small grains; they do best in the cooler weather of
spring or fall. You might want to cover crop the field for
the summer, then try wheat in the fall (planted in early October),
or wait until spring and plant the oats. You could plant soybeans
now, get them off, and still have time to plant any of the
small grains - rye, wheat or oats. I don't know your situation
or the time and equipment you have available to you. If you
have any more specific questions, I'll do my best to answer
them if you email back.
Good luck,
Jeff
Have some questions to Ask Jeff? E-mail
him directly at jeff.moyer@rodaleinst.org.
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