Organic Erisman Soft Red Winter Wheat

Winter wheat provides options as a grain cash crop, straw, and a cover crop to break weed and pest cycles. A 12-year University of Illinois study found that winter wheat added as a third rotational crop to a corn-soybean rotation boosted corn harvest by 10 bushels/acre and soybeans by 5 bushels/acre. Winter wheat provides an excellent window for seeding cover crops after grain harvest.

Best Use: Grain, Cover Crop, Forage

Adaptations: All soil types

Planting Date: Sept. 10 – Oct. 10 in southern MN
(date range will change as you move north or south)

Requirements:

• Winter wheat needs sufficient available N (and other nutrients) to support the yield target. Many conventional producers split apply N  or a total of 1.5-2.5 units per bu. of yield target
• Avoid planting winter wheat on corn ground or wheat stubble because it increases the risk of fusarium head blight
• If wheat must follow corn or corn silage, remove or bury the corn  residue to reduce risk of fusarium head blight
• Planting past optimum seeding date increases the risk of winter kill and reduces yield
• Seeding too early can result in excessive fall growth, making plants more vulnerable to winter kill and acts as a green bridge for pests
• Watch chemical rotation restrictions

Seeding:
100-140 lbs/acre drilled 1″ to 2″ deep
Optimum final stand is 900,000-1,000,000 plants/acre

Click here to view trial data for winter wheat products.

Seeding Rates for Small Grains