It is also used to some extent in Grey Wooded soil areas but lower yield and lack of adaptability to factors such as acidity and excessive soil moisture limit its usefulness in some places. Barley is more tolerant of saline soils than other cereals. Barley is less tolerant of acid soils than oats. Barley is earlier maturing than other cereals and may be planted in May to early June in parkland and Peace River areas. In southern areas, the planting date is less critical, but early May seeding is still recommended.
Early maturity does mean that barley is a good choice when very late seeding is necessary.
The higher rates are used with higher soil moisture conditions. As for grain, high rates of fertilizer, especially nitrogen, are required for high silage yields. There are varietal differences in lodging resistance. Both rough and smooth awned types are satisfactory for silage making. Since barley is an early maturing crop with some drought tolerance, it has a low water requirement.