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How to Grow Emmer Wheat Red Fife

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Emmer Wheat Red Fife

Triticum dicoccum (Emmer) / Triticum aestivum (Red Fife)

grass

Red Fife is a heritage bread wheat variety known for its deep red-brown kernels, nutty flavor, and excellent baking qualities. Originally developed in Canada in the 1800s, it is an awned wheat with strong disease resistance and adaptation to cool climates. Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum) is an ancient hulled wheat with two kernels per spikelet, offering unique nutritional properties and a distinct flavor profile.

Looking for a specific variety?

Red Fife Turkey Red Marquis Emmer hulled Spelt

When should you plant Emmer Wheat Red Fife in your zone?

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Example Emmer Wheat Red Fife timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Emmer Wheat Red Fife

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Emmer Wheat Red Fife

    Around Aug 15

    ≈ 120 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Emmer Wheat Red Fife dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum
💧
Water: Moderate; 12-15 inches annually through rainfall or irrigation. More critical during tillering and grain filling stages. Drought-tolerant once established compared to modern wheat varieties.
📏
Spacing: 6-8 inches between rows for direct seeding; broadcast seeding at 1.5-2 million seeds per acre inches
📅
Days to maturity: 120-150 days from spring planting; 140-170 days from fall planting
🌱
Planting depth: 1-1.5 inches deep

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy to clay loam soil
pH: 6.0-7.5
Amendments:
Compost or aged manure for organic matter Nitrogen-fixing cover crops (clover, vetch) in rotation Phosphorus and potassium for grain development

Growing Zones

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Thrives in zones 3-6; cold-hardy and well-suited to northern climates

2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a

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Growth Stages

1

Germination & Emergence

7-14 days

Seeds absorb moisture and send up first shoots. Seedlings emerge as thin green shoots breaking through soil.

Ensure consistent soil moisture (not waterlogged). Protect from birds and rodents. Plant in fall (Sept-Oct) or early spring (April-May) depending on region.

2

Tillering & Vegetative Growth

4-6 weeks

Plant produces multiple shoots (tillers) from the base, developing 3-5 shoots per plant. Leaves emerge in sequence; root system deepens.

Minimal intervention needed. Ensure adequate moisture, especially during this critical stage. Monitor for Hessian flies and Frit flies. Avoid excessive nitrogen that promotes disease.

3

Jointing & Stem Elongation

3-4 weeks

Visible stem joints appear; plant height increases rapidly. Awns begin to form. Flag leaf (uppermost leaf) emerges.

Apply balanced fertilizer if soil nutrients are deficient. Ensure good drainage to prevent lodging. Watch for rust diseases in wet conditions.

4

Heading & Flowering

2-3 weeks

Seed heads (spikes) emerge from the stem. Red Fife's distinctive long awns are prominent. Flowering occurs over 7-10 days with self-pollination.

Critical stage for water availability. Consistent moisture prevents kernel abortion. Monitor for Hessian flies and aphids. Disease pressure often peaks here.

5

Grain Filling & Maturation

4-6 weeks

Kernels fill with starch and protein, developing the characteristic red-brown color in Red Fife. Moisture content decreases from 50% to 12-14%.

Avoid excess watering which prolongs maturity and increases disease risk. Monitor kernel hardness—ready to harvest when hard enough to resist thumbnail pressure. Prepare harvest equipment.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Clover (in rotation for nitrogen fixation) Vetch (cover crop in rotation) Flax Field peas Alfalfa (in rotation)

Avoid planting near:

Repeated wheat plantings (disease buildup) Susceptible cereal crops in consecutive seasons without rotation Areas with poor drainage (fungal disease risk)

Common Pests

  • Resistant varieties (Red Fife has moderate resistance); delay planting to avoid adult emergence; crop rotation (2-year break); destroy infected crop residue

  • Crop rotation; stubble burning; resistant varieties; timely harvest to prevent larval development

  • Monitor with pheromone traps; natural predators (parasitic wasps); insecticidal soap if severe; avoid broad-spectrum pesticides

  • Plant resistant varieties; clean planting seed; control volunteer wheat; crop rotation

  • Red Fife has good resistance; ensure air circulation; avoid excessive nitrogen; sulfur fungicide if necessary

  • Red Fife is relatively resistant; avoid overhead irrigation at heading; crop rotation; remove infected heads before threshing; clean seed

Uses

🍳

Heritage Bread Baking

Culinary

Red Fife is prized for artisan and heritage bread making due to its nutty, complex flavor and superior gluten development. The flour produces chewy crumbs and beautiful crust color. [source]

🍳

Emmer Whole Grain & Flour

Culinary

Emmer wheat can be cooked as a whole grain (similar to spelt) or milled into flour for baking, porridge, or traditional Mediterranean dishes like farro. Higher in protein and fiber than modern wheat. [source]

🏠

Sustainable Agriculture

Household

Both varieties are water-efficient, disease-resistant, and well-adapted to organic farming systems. They reduce dependency on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. [source]

💊

Whole Grain Health Benefits

Medicinal

Red Fife and Emmer contain higher levels of antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals compared to modern refined wheat. Emmer's hulls contain additional fiber and phytonutrients. [source]

🎨

Straw for Craft & Bedding

Craft

Long, strong wheat straw from Red Fife is excellent for thatching, basket weaving, mulch, and livestock bedding. A valuable byproduct of grain production. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Harvest when kernels are hard and moisture content drops to 12-14% (typically mid-August to September). Combine at 15% moisture to minimize shattering. Cut heads by hand for small plots or use grain combine for larger areas. Thresh to separate hulls from grain. For Emmer wheat, hulls remain on kernels; winnow if desired for easier storage. Store in cool, dry conditions (below 15% moisture) to preserve quality.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Red Fife was developed in Canada in the 1800s and became the dominant wheat variety in North America before being largely displaced by higher-yielding modern varieties in the 1950s-60s. Today it is experiencing a revival among heritage grain and artisan bread communities.
  • 🌱 Emmer wheat is one of the oldest cultivated crops, with evidence of cultivation dating back 10,000 years to the Fertile Crescent. It was the staple grain of ancient Egypt and is mentioned in historical texts.
  • 🌱 Red Fife is so disease-resistant and winter-hardy that it was once grown from the Atlantic to the Pacific in Canada without rotation, a testament to its robustness compared to modern wheat cultivars.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Annual Full Sun pH Pollination
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