Fall barley Planting Dates in California

Usual fall barley planting and harvest periods in California, shown as ranges with their source. Use them to frame a plan, then adjust for your own frost dates and soil temperature.

Fall barley dates in California
Activity	Window	Source	Last verified
Planting	Sep 15 to Apr 30 usual (most active Oct 1 to Apr 15)	source	2026-11-11
Harvest	May 15 to Aug 15 usual (most active Jun 1 to Jul 15)	source	2026-11-11

Fall barley calendar for California
Item	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Planting	Planting window, most active in January	Planting window, most active in February	Planting window, most active in March	Planting window, most active in April					Planting window in September	Planting window, most active in October	Planting window, most active in November	Planting window, most active in December
Harvest					Harvest window in May	Harvest window, most active in June	Harvest window, most active in July	Harvest window in August

What these dates mean in California

Planting usually runs about 228 days, from Sep 15 to Apr 30.

That start date is close to the middle of the 8 places in this data set that report fall barley planting dates (Sep 17).

Harvest usually runs about 93 days, from May 15 to Aug 15.

From the start of the planting window to the start of the harvest window is about 242 days in California, a rough guide to how long the crop occupies the bed or field.

Frost-date caveat: these are published ranges for California. A northern or high-elevation site will run later than a southern or low one, and a cold wet spring can push planting past the window. Frost dates and local conditions vary; NASS state-level usual dates from 20-year progress data (Oct 2010 edition), begin ~5% and end ~95% complete. Check your last spring frost and soil temperature, and confirm with your county extension office.

Related guides

Barley Planting Calendar

Fall barley dates in other places

Other crops in California

Last reviewed: November 2026. Source: USDA NASS, Field Crops Usual Planting and Harvesting Dates (October 2010 edition, copy hosted by Cornell University Mann Library). Dates are the usual start and end of the period when about 5% to 95% of the crop is planted or harvested, from long-run state progress data. They are historic averages, not a forecast.