Well, I was inspired by this thread from last year. That thread was in the all-grain sub-forum, but I figured this fit more in the ingredients category.
I planted a row of Conlon 2-row in my church's community garden - about 2 feet wide and 45 feet long or so, which makes around 90 square feet. I planted about 4 times as much seed as I need for that area. Live and learn. Here's a pic of the row right after I planted it so you can get an idea of the size.
It has sprouted up and seems to be doing alright, but I'm going to focus this initial post on a strain I got from the USDA seed bank. I got a few different strains, but I decided to plant the Norwind 6-row for several reasons. First, it was developed in and is adapted to lower Michigan. Also, it seemed to be more resistant to problems than the other strains I was looking at. And being 6-row, I'm guessing it should retain more diastatic power whenever I get around to malting it. That means I'm less likely to screw it up when I get to that part of the process.
The packet from the USDA was only 5 grams of seed, which turns out to be a lot more seed than I thought it would be. Still, I planted it in a container. That means it was planted pretty densely. Being such a small amount and so conveniently located (in the backyard, as opposed to the 2-row planted at my church), I'm thinking I'll be able to water it and monitor it closely enough to get the most out of it. I'm obviously only aiming for a yield big enough to grow a more significant plot next year.
So, here are some early pictures:
April 30th
May 1st
May 3rd
May 4th
May 6th
The first sign of any sprouts popping through the dirt was about 2 weeks after planting. Since then, there has been noticeable growth every day. So, at this point, it's only been a week since I noticed the first couple tiny bits of green. Needless to say, I don't expect the coming weeks to be nearly as exciting as this first week has been. Regardless, I'll be sure to update with more pictures as well as my experiences as much as I can throughout the summer.
I will also share more pics and info about my larger plot in the community garden when I get a chance. I'm a teacher, so during the summer I'll have more time to get out there to monitor that plot.
Anybody else trying their hand at growing some barley? I'm definitely interested in anybody else's experiences.
I planted a row of Conlon 2-row in my church's community garden - about 2 feet wide and 45 feet long or so, which makes around 90 square feet. I planted about 4 times as much seed as I need for that area. Live and learn. Here's a pic of the row right after I planted it so you can get an idea of the size.
It has sprouted up and seems to be doing alright, but I'm going to focus this initial post on a strain I got from the USDA seed bank. I got a few different strains, but I decided to plant the Norwind 6-row for several reasons. First, it was developed in and is adapted to lower Michigan. Also, it seemed to be more resistant to problems than the other strains I was looking at. And being 6-row, I'm guessing it should retain more diastatic power whenever I get around to malting it. That means I'm less likely to screw it up when I get to that part of the process.
The packet from the USDA was only 5 grams of seed, which turns out to be a lot more seed than I thought it would be. Still, I planted it in a container. That means it was planted pretty densely. Being such a small amount and so conveniently located (in the backyard, as opposed to the 2-row planted at my church), I'm thinking I'll be able to water it and monitor it closely enough to get the most out of it. I'm obviously only aiming for a yield big enough to grow a more significant plot next year.
So, here are some early pictures:
April 30th
May 1st
May 3rd
May 4th
May 6th
The first sign of any sprouts popping through the dirt was about 2 weeks after planting. Since then, there has been noticeable growth every day. So, at this point, it's only been a week since I noticed the first couple tiny bits of green. Needless to say, I don't expect the coming weeks to be nearly as exciting as this first week has been. Regardless, I'll be sure to update with more pictures as well as my experiences as much as I can throughout the summer.
I will also share more pics and info about my larger plot in the community garden when I get a chance. I'm a teacher, so during the summer I'll have more time to get out there to monitor that plot.
Anybody else trying their hand at growing some barley? I'm definitely interested in anybody else's experiences.
