Hordeum vulgare

Barley is an annual grass grown as a cover crop, for forage, or for grain. The home gardener is apt to grow barley, which is a member of the grass family (Poaceae), as a fall-sown, winter cover crop. Barley was domesticated in the Middle East, but as a modern crop, it is cultivated worldwide. The grain is the source of malt, which is fermented to make beer. The species epithet is Latin for “common.”

Barley grows best in full sun but is adaptable to a variety of soil types, as long as the soil is well-drained. The best results are on moderately fertile soils, not subject to flooding. Because barley is not a legume, it does not fix nitrogen; however, it produces adequate root and top growth that can be incorporated into the soil, increasing the soil’s organic matter content. Barley can also be grown as a cover crop in combination with crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), which is a nitrogen-fixing plant.

Barley is a suitable cover crop for a vegetable garden, fruit orchard or permaculture garden. The benefits of a cover crop are the prevention of erosion, the suppression of weeds and the addition of organic matter to the soil. Barley does not host Hessian fly, so it is a good cover crop to precede wheat. Barley is excellent at smothering and outcompeting weeds. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Barley is susceptible to southern root knot nematode.