Black oats are a late-summer/early fall planted, quick-establishing annual cereal grain.
Seeding Rate (lbs. / acre)
- Drill: 15-50
- Broadcast: increase rate 20-25%
- In a mix: 15-50
- Grain production: 64
- Forage: 100
- Nurse crop: 32
– Planting depth: 3/4” – 1”
– Approximate seeds/lb: 14,000
– Days to germination: 7
Black Oats Benefits & Info
- Rapid growth in late fall
- Typically survive longer into winter (vs. spring oats) by up to 2 months
- Much like cereal rye, black oats show terrific weed suppression, expressing allelopathic effects
- Suppresses root-knot nematode
- Can be used as a nurse crop
- Can be mixed with other seeds to maximize surface protection and soil improvement
Forage Considerations
- Highly palatable forage
- Perfect for grazing or baleage (harvest approximately 55-60 days to late boot stage)
- Great yield – can match cereal rye
- Can be planted in March-April forage or grain production; Aug-Oct cover crop or forage
- WATCH OUT – dry hay has been challenging