How to Grow Wheat USA

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Drainage	Moist but well-drained (RHS); NC State: good drainage, moderately fertile soil not subject to flooding.
Lifecycle	Annual grass.
Edible parts	seeds
Documented problems	2 diseases, 4 pests

At a Glance

Diseases

Wheat rust (causal agent not yet confirmed)

moderate

Named only vaguely by RHS ("rust diseases"), no species identified -- generic entry created rather than guessing a pathogen.

Fusarium head blight (scab)

high

Fusarium graminearum

Named specifically by NC State as scab (Fusarium head blight), with an associated DON mycotoxin contamination risk in harvested grain.

Pests

Birds (grain)

moderate

various

Root-knot nematodes

low

Meloidogyne spp.

NC State names the southern root-knot nematode specifically; wheat is also noted not to host certain other nematodes.

Hessian fly

moderate

Mayetiola destructor

Named by NC State -- where this is a known local risk, delay planting until after the first fall frost.

Three-cornered alfalfa hopper

low

Spissistilus festinus

Named by NC State.

Growth Stages

1. Sowing (BBCH 0): RHS: propagate by seed, sown in spring or autumn. NC State: choose soft spring wheat for spring sowing or hard winter wheat for autumn; broadcast seed about 3in apart, 0.5in deep -- winter wheat sown too late leaves roots underdeveloped for winter survival.
2. Establishment (BBCH 3): NC State: best results come from moderately fertile, well-drained soil not subject to flooding; where Hessian fly is a known local risk, delay planting until after the first fall frost.
3. Overwintering and spring growth (BBCH 3)
4. Ripening and harvest (BBCH 8): NC State: ready when stems turn golden yellow and seeds harden; cut stalks near the base, bundle, and hang in a well-ventilated spot to dry completely before threshing.

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: NC State: ready to harvest once stems turn golden yellow and the seeds have become hard; cut stalks near the base with a sickle or scythe and bundle them together.

Storage

Hang bundles in a well-ventilated area to dry fully, then thresh the grain once completely dry; the grain is edible when cooked (NC State).

Sources

1. North Carolina State University Extension (Plant Toolbox) - Triticum aestivum (Wheat, Winter Wheat)

   Light: full sun (6+ hours). Soil: clay/loam-silt/sand/high organic matter, pH neutral (6.0-8.0), good drainage, tolerates moist or occasionally dry conditions; best on moderately fertile soil not subject to flooding. Size: 2-4ft height, 6in-1ft width. Native range: Turkey through Iran to India, now worldwide. Propagation: seed, broadcast ~3in apart, 0.5in deep; soft spring wheat for spring sowing, hard winter wheat for fall (too-late winter planting leaves roots underdeveloped for winter survival). Pests: three-cornered alfalfa hopper, Hessian fly (plant after first fall frost where present). Diseases: southern root-knot nematode; scab (Fusarium head blight) with DON mycotoxin contamination risk. Edible use: grain edible when cooked; the world's most widely cultivated grain crop. Home garden use: most often grown as a fall-sown winter cover crop for vegetable gardens/orchards -- erosion prevention, weed suppression, organic matter incorporation; does not host certain nematodes. Harvest: ready when stems turn golden yellow and seeds are hard; cut stalks near the base with a sickle/scythe, bundle, hang in a well-ventilated area to dry fully, then thresh.

These source is specific to this region. The full list of 2 sources behind this guide (North Carolina State University Extension (Plant Toolbox), Royal Horticultural Society) is in the references of our UK guide to wheat; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.