* Reasons for crop selection

Erosion control

Oats with an underseeded green manure crop will provide good erosion control. When underseeding and not taking off the straw after harvest, chopping and spreading it will allow the clover to grow through the oat residue. Volunteer oats that germinate after harvest can be left as a cover crop.

Nutrient benefit

Oats is a medium feeder. Researchers report that there seems to be a link between oats and beneficial microbes which help break down certain fractions of the humus content. Nitrogen is released from the humus according to the requirements of the crop so there is no excess leaching of nitrogen or excess nitrogen to stimulate weed growth. If there is a lot of soluble nitrogen in the soil this process is inhibited.

Weed control

Oats grows almost as quickly as buckwheat and for that reason are an excellent smother crop. Farmers report that oat residue seems to have some allelopathic effects on subsequently planted crops. The combination of seeding oats early and underseeding them with a small-seeded legume, also makes an excellent smother crop.

* Crop requirements

An oat crop which yields 80 bu/ac removes:

N - 50 lbs, P - 24 lbs , K - 18 lbs

Oats require a moderately fertile soil for optimum growth. If the soil is too high in nitrogen, the oats will be dark green in colour and likely lodge before harvest. Oats respond well to applications of compost applied in the fall before planting at a rate of five tonnes per acre. If the crop is light green in colour, this indicates that the soil fertility is too low and the quality of the oats will be poor.

Oats grow well on clay loams and on sands or sandy loams if the rainfall is adequate. Oats requires more water than other cereals to make a good yield. They like cool weather and will germinate early in the spring.

*Varieties

Oats grown for milling, require a variety with a plump kernal and high test weight of 36 to 38 lbs/ac or ?, and groats that resist turning dark. In areas where rust is a problem, resistant varieties should be grown.

Many organic farmers have found that older varieties produce more straw and are more competitive against weeds than the newer, shorter stemmed varieties. For this reason Rodney oats are still grown by some organic farmers in Ontario.

* Planting Methods

Oats are planted in a well prepared seedbed as early in the spring as possible in order to gain a competitive edge over the weeds and also to take advantage of the moisture available in the early part of the growing season.

If the oats are planted into a lot of residue from the previous year, phytotoxins may inhibit the growth of early seeded oats. This occurs because cold, wet weather restricts microbial activity which results in anaerobic decomposition of the residues. The problem can usually be overcome by ridging the soil in the fall to get better aeration and faster warming in the spring.

* Seeding rates: 84kg/ha, 75lbs/ac, 2bu/ac

For small seed reduce to : 62kg/ha, 55lbs/ac, 1.5bu/ac.

If you expect a weed problem increase the rate to :

101kg/ha, 90lbs/ac., 2.5bu/ac.

Test weight for oats is 34 lb/bu or 42 kg/hL

When underseeding clover, seed 6 to 10 lb/acre. If you have a problem with broadleaf weeds, underseeding can be broadcast after pre-emergent tillage, rather than with the seed drill. To gain extra nitrogen, some farmers are growing peas with their oats and recommend 10 lb of peas with 75 lbs of oats/acre.

* Planting depth

Seed with a drill (6 to 7Ó rows) and pack. Packing is not necessary if you have press wheels on your drill. The planting depth will depend on the weather conditions and whether you intend to use a harrow for weed control. A depth of two inches is recommended when using mechanical weed control.

4. Crop management

* Weed control

Early planting will give the oats a competitive edge over the weeds. Any cool weather weeds that germinate after the crop is seeded can be controlled with blind harrowing (pre-emergent tillage.) When the seed has sprouted, but not yet emerged, the field is harrowed using a diamond or other light harrow. This method will often provide adequate control of broadleaf annual weeds. If the crop has already emerged, avoid harrowing as it will cover the oat seed with soil and prevent it from pushing through.

Blind harrowing cannot be done if the oats is underseeded with legumes, but one can broadcast the legumes after harrowing. If the cover crop is seeded at the three- or four-leaf stage of the oats, the legume seed can be worked in with the weeder harrow. Note that if there is a dry spell you will probably have germination problems.

If further weed control is necessary, a weeder harrow (finger weeder) can be used once the crop is at the four-leaf stage. Small weeds that germinate later in the growing season will not affect yields.

Wild mustard will be a problem if small grains are grown continuously. These tillage operations should control wild mustard, but if a few plants escape they are easily pulled by hand. If Canada thistle is a problem, it can be controlled after harvest with repeated tillage operations if there is no cover crop. If the rotation includes alfalfa or red clover which help break up soil compaction, this should solve the Canada thistle problem.

* Pests and disease control

Avoid planting oats after oats, or planting oats after mixed grains. Five years between oat crops is recommended. Nematodes should not be a problem if you have a good crop rotation. Likewise, a well-managed soil and appropriate fertility levels, will prevent infestations of army worm. Oat leaf rust is a problem in eastern Ontario, and it is recommended that European buckthorn, which is an alternative host for the rust, be removed from hedgerows.

5. Oats

as a green manure

Oats can be grown as a green manure which adds organic matter to the soil, although it does winterkill. It must be planted by mid-August to ensure adequate winter soil protection. Oats produces more dryweight bulk than buckwheat, and if the straw is not required for animal bedding, it can be left on the field to add organic matter. When this is done, earthworm activity is noticeably increased. If the oats are underseeded with small-seeded legumes, the chopping and spreading of the straw will allow the clover to grow through without a problem.

6. Harvesting

Harvest occurs approximately 12 weeks after seeding.

* Swathing methods

If you have a weed problem, a lot of undergrowth, or uneven ripening, it is advisable to swathe first and then combine. This will reduce staining of the oats. Otherwise, oats can be directly combined. Use standard combining procedures for oats. Make sure the combine is clean before you start and check for worn concaves and cylinder bars.

7. Storage

Clean the grain before it is stored to prevent heating and the spreading of disease. Clean the storage area thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner before putting in the new grain. Diatomaceous Earth is used at the rate of 5 lb/ton of grain, to control insects. Circular steel bins on a concrete slab covered with a vapour-proof barrier are recommended for all grain storage.