How to Grow Hordeum Plants in your Garden

Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Barley and Squirrel-tail Grass

Plants of the Hordeum genus are hardy annual grasses.

They flower from late spring through the start of summer with silverly grey inflorescences atop 60 cm long stems.

Some of the common names for Hordeum include Barley, Squirreltail Barley, Squirrel-tail Grass, and Fox tail barley.

Hordeum vulgare
Hordeum vulgare – Barley by Dag Endresen; creative commons.

Barley
Hordeum vulgare – Barley Field by Cliff1066™; creative commons.

Hordeum Plant Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Barley, Squirrel-tail Grass. Barley: Common; Little; Wild; Sea; Wall; Hare;,Squirrel Tail; Arizona; Meadow; Dwarf.
Family: Poaceae.
Life Cycle: Hardy annual.
Height: 20 to 36 inches (50 to 90 cm).
Native: Temperate regions of the Americas, Europe, Asia and Southern Africa.
Growing Region: Zones 3 to 10.
Flowers: Spring and summer.
Flower Details: Inflorescences may be green, silvery, reddish-green, purplish and range from one to four inches (3 to 10 cm) in length. Spikelets.
Foliage: Sword-like.
Sow Outside: 1/8 inch (3 mm). Before the last frost or in autumn. Spacing 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm). Germination time: one day to two months. Temperature 70°F (21°C).
Sow Inside: No
Requirements: Full sunlight. Good drainage. Dry soil. Limy soil. Sheltered location.

How to Grow Barley and Squirreltail (Hordeum)

It is best to grow Squirreltail & Barley outdoors from the off. The seeds of Hordeum Plants should be sown at a depth of 3 mm at the beginning of spring before the last frost has occurred, or at the end of autumn.

They like to grow in a sunny area that has good drainage and a limy soil. Germination should take from three to seven weeks at about 21 degrees centigrade.

Caring for Hordeum Plants in the Garden

Once growing the Hordeum seedlings should be thinned so as to be about 30 cm apart.

It is important to control the spread of Squirreltail Barley as the plant can easily take over the garden.

I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Hordeum plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow Arundo donax and Melica plants.