Growing oats is easy and has many uses around the garden and farm. When you plant oats will really depend on what you are using it for. If growing for grain to harvest plant after the last frost or if growing as a smother crop, plant in late summer. Oat grain can be used for the following:

• Increasing organic matter
• Livestock forage oat
• As a nurse crop for legumes
• In areas where they winterkill-as a smother crop against weeds
• As a cereal crop in your food plot