How to Grow Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety)

Wikimedia Commons

Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety)

Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccum

grass

Red Fife Emmer is a heritage hulled wheat variety with reddish-brown kernels and excellent nutritional density. This ancient grain has been cultivated for thousands of years and is experiencing a revival among artisanal bakers and regenerative farmers. It produces tall stalks with distinctive two-grained spikelets and requires threshing to separate the hulls from the grain.

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

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety) timeline →

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

Plant Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety)
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety)
Around Aug 15

≈ 120 days after planting

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

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, minimum 6-8 hours daily, prefers 8+ hours

💧

Water: Moderate moisture; approximately 12-15 inches of rainfall annually during growing season. Avoid waterlogging. More drought-tolerant than modern wheat once established.

📏

Spacing: Broadcast seed at 1.5-2 bushels per acre (roughly 4-6 seeds per inch in rows) inches

📅

Days to maturity: 120-140 days from planting to harvest maturity

🌱

Planting depth: Plant seeds 1-1.5 inches deep in fall (October-November) for winter wheat, or early spring (March-April) for spring planting

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil with good organic matter

pH: 6.0-7.5

Amendments:

compost aged manure bone meal potassium-rich amendments

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 4-7, cold-hardy enough for northern climates

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a

Get my Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety) timeline →

Growth Stages

Germination & Emergence

2-3 weeks

Seeds germinate within 7-10 days under cool conditions. Seedlings emerge as thin green shoots with narrow leaves characteristic of grass.

Ensure consistent soil moisture. Fall-planted crops develop root systems before winter dormancy. Protect from slugs and birds if needed.

Tillering

4-6 weeks (fall) or 3-4 weeks (spring)

Plants develop multiple shoots (tillers) from the base, creating fuller clumps. Leaves are narrow and upright, dark green.

This stage is critical for grain production—each tiller can produce a head. Avoid excessive nitrogen late in season. Monitor for pest damage.

Stem Elongation & Heading

4-6 weeks

Main stems elongate rapidly. Spikes emerge from the flag leaf sheath with two grains per spikelet visible. Plant height reaches 3-4.5 feet.

Tall varieties may require support or windbreaks in exposed areas. Monitor moisture; adequate water is essential during this stage. Watch for diseases like powdery mildew.

Flowering & Grain Fill

3-4 weeks

Small flowers bloom on spikes, typically in early summer. Grains begin to fill with starch and proteins, becoming plump and tan to reddish-brown.

Consistent water supply is crucial. Avoid stress during grain fill. Remove any diseased heads immediately. Light nitrogen boost may help protein content.

Maturity & Harvest

2-3 weeks

Grains harden completely; hulls become brittle. Stalks dry and turn golden-brown. Plants reach full dormancy; grains rattle when shaken.

Allow full dry-down before harvest. Cut when moisture content is 12-15% to minimize shattering. Prepare threshing and winnowing equipment.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

clover vetch field beans peas alfalfa

Avoid planting near:

brassicas in intensive rotations potatoes

Common Pests

Choose resistant varieties; use early fall planting dates; avoid Hessian fly-free period delays; rotate fields yearly.
Monitor for larvae on leaves; encourage beneficial predators; heavy infestations can be managed with early harvest of affected areas.
Scout regularly; handpick or encourage bird predators; use pheromone traps for monitoring; rarely requires intervention in home gardens.
Ensure good air circulation; avoid excessive nitrogen; remove infected leaves; fungicides (sulfur or neem) if severe.
Crop rotation (3+ years); remove infected plant debris; select resistant varieties; fungicides in severe cases.

Uses

🍳

Artisanal Baking & Pasta

Culinary

Red Fife Emmer produces a distinctive nutty, complex flavor highly prized by craft bakers and pasta makers. Its unique gluten structure and protein content (13-16%) create visually striking golden dough and deeply flavored breads and pasta. [source]

🍳

Whole Grain Cooking

Culinary

Hulled emmer berries can be cooked as a nutritious whole grain cereal, similar to farro or pearl barley. They absorb flavors well in grain bowls, soups, and pilafs. [source]

💊

Nutritional Density & Mineral Content

Medicinal

Emmer wheat contains elevated levels of zinc, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus compared to modern wheat, plus beneficial polyphenols and antioxidants. The hull retention in hulled grain provides additional fiber and protective compounds. [source]

🏠

Straw & Bedding

Household

The tall, sturdy stalks produce excellent straw for animal bedding, mulching, or craft projects. Emmer straw is prized for thatching and traditionally woven crafts. [source]

🦋

Habitat & Pollinator Support

Wildlife

Flowering emmer wheat provides pollen and nectar for bees and beneficial insects. The standing stalks offer winter habitat for birds and small mammals. Heritage grain fields support greater biodiversity than monoculture crops. [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 grain moisture reaches 12-15% and stalks are golden-brown (typically late July-August in northern zones). Cut with a scythe, sickle, or small combine harvester. Bundle stalks and allow 1-2 weeks of field drying if weather permits. Thresh by hand using a flail, mechanical thresher, or by laying bundles on tarps and beating them. Winnow using fans or traditional baskets to separate chaff. Store hulled berries in cool, dry conditions (50°F, 10-15% moisture) to prevent mold.

Fun Facts

🌱 Red Fife Emmer is one of the oldest cultivated wheats, with evidence of cultivation dating back 10,000+ years to the Fertile Crescent. It remained a staple grain in European farming until the early 20th century when modern wheat varieties replaced it.
🌱 Emmer's hulled kernels require additional processing (hulling/threshing) compared to free-threshing modern wheat, which is why it fell out of industrial favor—but this hull actually protects the grain from pests and contamination, reducing the need for pesticides.
🌱 The distinctive two-grained spikelet structure of emmer (ditelic spikelets) is unique among wheat species and produces a visually striking head that remains intact at maturity, unlike modern wheat which sheds individual grains.

Gardening Terms

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

Annual Full Sun

Shop Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety) plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety) planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety) seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Emmer Wheat (Red Fife variety) timeline →