It grows best in well-drained, fertile loams or light, clay soils in areas having cool, dry, mild winters. It also does well on light, droughty soils and tolerates somewhat alkaline soils better than other cereal crops. With many varieties of barley to choose from, be sure to select a regionally adapted one.

Where does barley grow wild?

Distribution and habitat. Wild barley is native to North Africa, the Middle East, parts of the Indian subcontinent and south-west China.

Where is the best barley grown?

Two-row barley is grown in Montana, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, and California. In 2020, the top two barley-producing states were Idaho (48.5 million bushels) and Montana (28.8 million bushels) (Statista By State, 2021).