growing garden amounts of cereals

[jonny2mad]

Ive got interested in biointensive gardening and john jeavons talks about growing your own oats and wheat in the garden, I like the idea of growing some oats but cant seem to find anyone who sells garden quantitys of seed in the uk .
I wonder if I could try growing oats from oats you buy to eat or does anyone know anywhere that sells small quantitys of cereal seed

[Boots]

While it is a bit of an outlay buying a big bag, it is definately cheaper in the long run and you can get seed that is intended to produce, as opposed to confectionary, stock or milling grains. You can also regrow from that crop.

If you really only have room for a tiny crop - I'm sure you could get your money back on the 'extra seed' by selling it on ebay.

There are definately seeds that you can utilise from the supermarket, but the way they perform will affect what you want them for.

All of my grains are planted as green feed primarily, so I don't need uniform results and don't place any importance on heading or yeild times. I rotate when the feed runs out, so it is pretty simple, and it works in my favour if things grow out of order.

IF you are feeding birds, guinea pigs, or other small domestic animals. You can plant grass seeds collected from heading grasses along the road. Actually, you can also do this for patching lawns... but I digress.

You can plant sunflower seeds bought at the supermarket. Tapioca. Pigeon Pea. Popping Corn. Lavender. I imagine barley would grow too. All you really need to check is that the seed hasn't been steamed during processing - because that will sanitise and prolong shelf life, but kill the actual seed. Oats... hmm... I guess if you bought unmilled oats, then yes, they would grow. Do supermarkets sell them? The rolled oats that you make your porridge out of... nah.

Corn. At no time, should a self-sufficientish gardener need to buy corn seed! Well, definately not more than once. Corn seed is the biggest racket going. Tis just corn kernels, and you just dry your best cob/s for the next crop. Tuck it in a cupboard someplace and remove the seeds from the cob to plant when you are ready. Same as you would store seed from pumpkins, tomatoes and everything else. If you stuff up a crop, then beg or swap with a neighbour to kick off the next one.

This goes the same for organic vegies - but once you've done it a few times you will see why I am so skeptical about organics... We can grow organically, but is a hybrid seed organic? I think not.

I plant everything that comes in and out of my farm, and I don't always know whether I am dealing with a hybrid or not, until I watch it grow, but that's ok - green feed is green feed and something round here will eat it, whatever happens with it.

Your purpose will determine what seed you need. If you want to try hand milling - definately buy planting seed, that will ensure you get a good heading in a small space, but don't fluff about with a gardening shop - go straight to your local stock or rural supplier. Not sure what you call them over there.

[the.fee.fairy]

now, i have very little idea about these things but...try looking at the ingredients of wild bird food mix.

Then separate out the ones you want.

Then throw them at the bit you want cereals to grow in, sayin g'whoops, i've spilt them...i hope the birds eat them before they atart to grow'.

bird seed never grows where i want it to...only where the birds spill it!

[jonny2mad]

I found http://www.realseeds.co.uk/grains.html

Ive ordered hulless oats , quinoa and amaraths off them and some other seeds , will post with pictures on how I do

[marshlander]

Once had so much rape coming up around the bird table we were think of putting in for an EEC grant!

[smwon]

Ive got interested in biointensive gardening and john jeavons talks about growing your own oats and wheat in the garden, I like the idea of growing some oats but cant seem to find anyone who sells garden quantitys of seed in the uk .
I wonder if I could try growing oats from oats you buy to eat or does anyone know anywhere that sells small quantitys of cereal seed

I am planning to do the same thing and I 'thought' up this idea from John Jeavons book as well... I will be very interested to see how it goes. Myself, I don't plan on doing it till next year.

[marshlander]

Realseeds sell a pack enough for 2 sq mtrs £1.85 easy for home threshing they say - looks very tall

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/grains.html

[smwon]

I looked and really liked the site, however, I thought this very funny! Gave me a good giggle!
No seeds sent to USA or Other Countries outside Europe!

By the way, for all the confused Americans who keep trying to order seeds, you are not in Europe. :-)

[marshlander]

I looked and really liked the site, however, I thought this very funny! Gave me a good giggle!
No seeds sent to USA or Other Countries outside Europe!

By the way, for all the confused Americans who keep trying to order seeds, you are not in Europe. :-)

Would I, in theory, be allowed to send you seeds, person to person or would they be stopped by customs in case I'm sending you beatles that would wipe out all the oats in America?

I know when the RHS go plant hunting they x ray* and inspect every seed to make sure they're not importing something nasty by accident.
* or look through them somehow - might not be xray!

[ina]

By the way, for all the confused Americans who keep trying to order seeds, you are not in Europe. :-)

Sorry, a bit off topic - and I didn't say that, I heard it on the radio tonight: War is God's way of teaching Americans geography... (goes and hides... )

[Ellendra]

I looked and really liked the site, however, I thought this very funny! Gave me a good giggle!
No seeds sent to USA or Other Countries outside Europe!

By the way, for all the confused Americans who keep trying to order seeds, you are not in Europe. :-)

To those Americans who would like to grow grains, we have places like http://www.rareseeds.com or http://www.superseeds.com to choose from :D

-Ellendra

[smwon]

Thanks for the links Ellendra, I will check them out.

[jonny2mad]

http://www.bountifulgardens.org/products.asp?dept=4

for americans thats john jeavons site and they seem to have a great range of cereals

if anyone knows of anyone in the uk who sell wheat seed or any cereals please post

[smwon]

Yes they do have a good variety of grain seed for the garden jonny. Do they ship to the UK or do you know? I ordered some alfalfa seed from them yesterday... just a packet, enough to plant 400 square feet if planted on 5 inch centers.

[carolinew]

Real Seeds doesn't have any hulless oat seed this year, due to a failed crop. Does anyone who bought seed off them in the past have any spare seed which they could swap with me? I have a variety of veg seeds which I could swap.

Alternatively, does anyone know where else I can buy them? I don't mind if I need to buy a big bag, that's fine. It's just that I have no idea where to look.

Thanks!