Crop directory
Cereal Oats across all 50 states.
Avena sativaCover CropFrost Hardy90–120 days to maturitySoil-temp ≥ 38°F
Cereal Oats (Avena sativa) is a cover crop crop with a frost hardy frost profile. Across all 50 states, 38 have cereal oats as a primary crop, 12 as secondary, 0 as limited, and 0 as trial-only.
Agronomy reference
Soil-temp minimum
38°F
Soil-temp optimum
45–75°F
Days to maturity
90–120
Water (in/wk)
0.5–1"
Soil pH
5.5–7
Nitrogen demand
moderate
Source: plants.usda.gov
Primary in 38 states
Commercially significant or common.
- AlaskaZone 4aSpring · May 18–June 15Fall · July 7–July 22
- ArkansasZone 7bSpring · March 29–April 26Fall · August 26–September 10
- ColoradoZone 5bSpring · May 3–May 31Fall · August 6–August 21
- ConnecticutZone 6bSpring · April 18–May 16Fall · August 16–August 31
- DelawareZone 7aSpring · April 8–May 6Fall · August 26–September 10
- IdahoZone 5bSpring · May 8–June 5Fall · July 27–August 11
- IllinoisZone 6aSpring · April 18–May 16Fall · August 16–August 31
- IndianaZone 6aSpring · April 24–May 22Fall · August 11–August 26
- IowaZone 5aSpring · April 28–May 26Fall · August 6–August 21
- KansasZone 6aSpring · April 18–May 16Fall · August 16–August 31
- KentuckyZone 6bSpring · April 13–May 11Fall · August 21–September 5
- MaineZone 5aSpring · May 8–June 5Fall · July 27–August 11
- MarylandZone 7aSpring · April 8–May 6Fall · August 26–September 10
- MassachusettsZone 6aSpring · April 24–May 22Fall · August 11–August 26
- MichiganZone 5bSpring · May 3–May 31Fall · August 6–August 21
- MinnesotaZone 4aSpring · May 8–June 5Fall · July 27–August 11
- MissouriZone 6bSpring · April 13–May 11Fall · August 21–September 5
- MontanaZone 4bSpring · May 13–June 10Fall · July 22–August 6
- NebraskaZone 5aSpring · April 28–May 26Fall · August 6–August 21
- NevadaZone 7aSpring · April 18–May 16Fall · August 16–August 31
- New HampshireZone 5bSpring · May 8–June 5Fall · August 2–August 17
- New JerseyZone 7aSpring · April 13–May 11Fall · August 26–September 10
- New MexicoZone 7aSpring · April 18–May 16Fall · August 16–August 31
- New YorkZone 5bSpring · May 3–May 31Fall · August 11–August 26
- North CarolinaZone 7bSpring · March 29–April 26Fall · August 31–September 15
- North DakotaZone 4aSpring · May 13–June 10Fall · July 22–August 6
- OhioZone 6aSpring · April 24–May 22Fall · August 11–August 26
- OklahomaZone 7aSpring · April 3–May 1Fall · August 26–September 10
- PennsylvaniaZone 6bSpring · April 18–May 16Fall · August 16–August 31
- Rhode IslandZone 7aSpring · April 13–May 11Fall · August 26–September 10
- South DakotaZone 4bSpring · May 8–June 5Fall · July 27–August 11
- TennesseeZone 7aSpring · April 3–May 1Fall · August 26–September 10
- UtahZone 6bSpring · April 24–May 22Fall · August 11–August 26
- VermontZone 5aSpring · May 8–June 5Fall · July 27–August 11
- VirginiaZone 7aSpring · April 8–May 6Fall · August 26–September 10
- West VirginiaZone 6bSpring · April 18–May 16Fall · August 16–August 31
- WisconsinZone 5aSpring · May 3–May 31Fall · August 6–August 21
- WyomingZone 4bSpring · May 18–June 15Fall · July 17–August 1
Secondary in 12 states
Grown but not at scale; often gardens / food plots / cover.
- AlabamaZone 8aSpring · March 18–April 15Fall · September 6–September 21
- ArizonaZone 8bSpring · March 8–April 5Fall · September 11–September 26
- CaliforniaZone 9aSpring · February 23–March 22Fall · October 1–October 16
- FloridaZone 9bSpring · February 8–March 7Fall · October 16–October 31
- GeorgiaZone 8aSpring · March 18–April 15Fall · September 6–September 21
- HawaiiZone 11aSpring · December 25–January 22Fall · November 1–November 16
- LouisianaZone 9aSpring · February 27–March 26Fall · September 16–October 1
- MississippiZone 8aSpring · March 18–April 15Fall · September 6–September 21
- OregonZone 8aSpring · April 13–May 11Fall · August 21–September 5
- South CarolinaZone 8aSpring · March 23–April 20Fall · September 6–September 21
- TexasZone 8bSpring · March 8–April 5Fall · September 16–October 1
- WashingtonZone 8aSpring · April 8–May 6Fall · August 26–September 10
Beyond the harvest
Hunting use · food plot
Cereal Oats as a hunting food plot.
Oats are an excellent early-season green for whitetail food plots. Fall-planted oats grow rapidly through October before winter-killing — providing concentrated late-September bow hunting attraction.
Attractswhitetail deer
Cereal Oats planting in your county.
Bield: Farm ties weather and soil-temperature stations in your county to cereal oats planting thresholds — get notified when conditions clear your target.