How to Grow Buckwheat USA

At a Glance

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Drainage	Not too compacted, coarse or sandy; tolerant of somewhat acidic soil to pH 5.5 (Missouri Extension). RHS: grows well on nutrient-poor soils.
Lifecycle	Fast-growing, half-hardy annual broadleaf, not a true cereal but often called a pseudocereal. RHS classes it half hardy, growing only in spring and summer.
Edible parts	seeds

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	RHS: sow April to August, not frost tolerant. Missouri Extension: seeds germinate and emerge in just 3-4 days in warm soil; plant about 1in deep, rows as close as 6in apart for maximum yield, at 50-55lb seed per acre.
Rapid vegetative growth	3	RHS: forms dense foliage that effectively suppresses weeds over summer. Missouri Extension: plants grow rapidly with small heart-shaped leaves on slender, hollow stems; each individual plant is actually rather spindly despite the dense overall canopy.
Flowering	6	Missouri Extension: flowering begins about three weeks after planting and continues prolifically for several weeks before tapering off, making buckwheat a strong nectar source for honey bees -- a field at peak flowering is a striking sea of white petals.
Seed set and harvest	8	Missouri Extension: a pollinated flower forms a full-sized seed within about 10 days, needing another one to two weeks to fully mature; seeds ripen earliest on the lower stem and continue upward as the plant matures. Harvest by direct combine at 80-90% brown, or swath earlier and let ripen in the windrow.

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Missouri Extension: direct combine when about 80-90% of the plant and seeds have turned brown -- a few green leaves, green seeds and flowers at the top are normal at this stage. If swathing, cut a little greener (~75% brown) and let ripen in the windrow for a few days first.

Storage

Store at 15% moisture or below for the long term; groats darken over time, so deliver to market or use within a couple of months of harvest (Missouri Extension).

Diseases

Foot and root rot (general)

low

Missouri Extension: diseases have not been a problem with buckwheat, though extremely wet conditions could promote seedling or root rot on rare occasion -- no causal species identified.

Pests

Grasshoppers

low

Caelifera

Named by Missouri Extension as an occasional nibbler; no extensive insect damage noted over years of field production.

Snails

low

Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)

RHS notes the dense weed-suppressing foliage this crop is grown for can also create conditions favourable to snails.

Slugs

low

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

RHS notes the dense weed-suppressing foliage this crop is grown for can also create conditions favourable to slugs.

Sources

1. Jefferson Institute, in cooperative project with the University of Missouri (USDA-CSREES Fund for Rural America) - Buckwheat: A Versatile Short-Season Crop (Alternative Crop Guide)

   Description: broadleaf plant native to northern Asia, brown irregularly-shaped seeds resembling a soybean in size, small heart-shaped leaves, slender hollow stems; germinates in 3-4 days in warm soil. Growth: flowering begins ~3 weeks after planting, continues prolifically for weeks; a pollinated flower forms a full-sized seed within 10 days, needing another 1-2 weeks to mature; seeds mature earliest on the lower stem. Size/timing: 3ft+ tall and 11-12 weeks to maturity if planted early in summer with good fertility; shorter (24-30in) and faster (9-10 weeks) if planted late July. Soil: avoid overly compacted, coarse or sandy soils; tolerant of somewhat acidic soil to pH 5.5; benefits from modest nitrogen. Planting: ~1in deep, rows as close as 6in for maximum yield, 50-55lb seed/acre. Pests/diseases: relatively pest-free over years of Missouri field production; occasional grasshopper nibbling, no extensive insect damage; diseases not a problem except rare seedling/root rot in extremely wet conditions. Harvest: direct combine at 80-90% of plant/seed brown, or swath at ~75% brown and let ripen in the windrow; store at 15% moisture or below for the long term; groats darken over time so deliver to market within a couple of months. Edible use: primarily a human food crop -- dehulled into groats, ground into flour for bread/cereal/multigrain products, used for soba noodles (Japan) and kasha (Russia); ~12% protein, ~2% fat, high in lysine. Also used for livestock feed (mixed with other grains), as bee forage (distinctive dark honey), and hulls for buckwheat pillows.

These source is specific to this region. The full list of 2 sources behind this guide (Jefferson Institute, in cooperative project with the University of Missouri (USDA-CSREES Fund for Rural America), Royal Horticultural Society) is in the references of our UK guide to buckwheat; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.