Exposure Full-sun to partial shade
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Hordeum vulgare. An open pollinated hardy annual. Barley Cover Crop Seeds are a fast-growing grass with fibrous roots that can reach as far as 2m (6') deep. It is less upright than oats, and not nearly as weedy as rye. Excellent for erosion control and holding nitrogen, which will be released as the the tilled barley decomposes. Barley is great for grain and straw production. Underseed with Crimson Clover, harvest the grain, and then till under the clover in the first or second year. Barley does not overwinter in cold climates - will winter-kill at -8°C (17°F). 50kg per acre. 500g covers approximately 438ft.
(Open-pollinated seeds)
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Latin
Latin
Hordeum vulgare
Family: Poaceae
Exposure
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Timing
Timing
Sow barley any time during the growing season, from early March to the end of August. Barley does not overwinter in cold climates – it will winter-kill at -8°C (17°F). To harvest grain, plant in the spring only.
Starting
Starting
Sow to a depth of 2-4cm (1-1½").
Growing
Growing
Cut or scythe and leave in place on the soil as a mulch. It can easily be worked into the soil with a garden fork. Allow two weeks before planting the following crop.
West Coast Seeds is a family-owned company that embraces an organic lifestyle. A group of imagination catalysts and passionate educators, dedicated to producing products and services that better the environment. As part of our mission to repair the earth, we aim to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for the state of the planet. For us, organic is about much more than saying no to chemicals, it is about saying yes to building a healthy soil for the future.
For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We don’t just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what we’ve learned with others.
Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Sow barley any time during the growing season, from early March to the end of August. Barley does not overwinter in cold climates – it will winter-kill at -8°C (17°F). To harvest grain, plant in the spring only.
Sow to a depth of 2-4cm (1-1½").
Cut or scythe and leave in place on the soil as a mulch. It can easily be worked into the soil with a garden fork. Allow two weeks before planting the following crop.
