Common Wheat

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum), also known as bread wheat, is the world's most widely grown crop, accounting for roughly 95% of all wheat produced globally. It is a cool-season annual grass that produces dense ears of grain prized for their high-gluten flour suitable for leavened bread. Heritage varieties such as Concord and Khorasan (Kamut) offer distinct flavour profiles, superior nutritional density, and are well suited to low-input growing systems. It thrives in open, well-drained ground with good sunlight and tolerates light frost both at germination and during early growth.

Growing

Sow directly into prepared, well-drained soil once soil temperature reaches 4 °C. Press seeds 2–3 cm deep at a diagonal spacing of 10 cm, or scatter-sow densely in a seed tray and transplant individual seedlings once they reach 5–7 cm in height. For a transplanting approach, fill trays with a fine-textured compost mix, scatter seeds evenly, cover to 2.5 cm depth, and move seedlings to their final position at 10 cm diagonal spacing. Ensure the planting site receives full sun and that soil is free of compaction to allow deep root development.

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist during germination and early tillering; once established, wheat is drought-tolerant and requires only supplemental irrigation during prolonged dry spells. Apply a balanced, low-nitrogen fertiliser before sowing and a light top-dressing of nitrogen when plants reach 10–15 cm to support tillering. Weed thoroughly before sowing and remove competing plants during the first four weeks; once the canopy closes, wheat suppresses weeds naturally. No staking is required for standard-height varieties, but heritage tall varieties may lodge in exposed sites — a sheltered position or windbreak helps.

Harvest

Harvest when ears turn golden-yellow and the grain is hard and dry — bite a kernel and it should resist cleanly without denting. At this point the stems will also have dried to a pale straw colour. Cut stems close to the ground and bundle into sheaves; hang upside-down in a dry, ventilated space for a further 1–2 weeks to complete drying before threshing. Thresh by beating sheaves against the inside of a barrel or bin, then winnow to separate grain from chaff. The harvest window is approximately two weeks before the grain begins to shatter and fall.

In the kitchen

Mill dried grain into wholemeal flour for sourdough or yeasted bread, flat breads, pasta, and pastry. Khorasan/Kamut varieties produce a rich, buttery-flavoured flour ideal for flat bread and sourdough. Whole grain kernels can be soaked overnight, then slow-cooked and served in place of rice or added to soups and grain salads. For porridge, crack or coarsely grind the grain and simmer with water. Traditional preparation — soaking, fermenting as sourdough, or sprouting — improves digestibility by neutralising phytic acid.

Storing

Store fully dried, threshed grain in sealed glass jars, food-grade buckets, or cloth sacks in a cool, dry, dark location at or below 15 °C; properly dried grain (below 12% moisture) keeps for 2–5 years under these conditions. Ground flour should be stored in an airtight container and used within 3–6 months at room temperature, or up to 12 months in a freezer. Whole berries can also be frozen for long-term preservation. Keep storage containers off the ground and away from moisture to prevent mould and rodent access.