Winter wheat test plot

September 20 is a good target date for winter wheat around here so when I saw the weather and the calendar, I figured it was time.

Auusie Bacska just before sowing in the 2016-17 test plot

I put the most important stuff towards the middle of the field, where the soil is best.  "Most important" is everything but the USDA Turkey Red, since the other varieties are more interesting to me.  I made plantings that were 5 rows wide and as long as they needed to be to use up all the seed.  Not all the seed quite fit into the 5 rows and I ended up double seeding one of the Turkey Red plots.  The planting was all done with the Earthway seeder, probably using the beet plate, set to 1" depth.

From North to South, the plots are flagged and there should be a 6" or so gap between plantings.  Here is the sequence (the outside ends are identical plantings):

USDA Turkey Red

Wisconsin Pedigree No. 2

USDA Bacska

Bacska, Australian Winter Cereals Collection

USDA Turkey Red

Soil conditions were not the best, but I was a little short on choices.  I mostly got it onto the old potato ground, and it's 10' or more from the previous winter wheat section, so I hope there is no contamination.  There will definitely be a few spuds growing as weed in the plots, however.