When Is Wheat Harvested in the South?

Winter wheat generally matures and finishes harvest from late June to early July of the following year; spring wheat generally matures and finishes harvest from mid-July to late August. Wheat harvest in the south is earlier than in the north, and the further north you go, the later the harvest time.

1. When Is Wheat Sown

The optimal sowing period for each wheat variety is 10-12 days, and the best sowing period is 5-7 days. In the Lunan area, the suitable sowing temperature for winter varieties is 20-16°C, around September 25 to October 10, and the best sowing period temperature is 16-18°C, around September 27 to October 5. The suitable sowing period temperature for semi-winter varieties is 18-16°C, from September 27 to October 12, and the best sowing period temperature is 16-17°C. The suitable sowing period temperature for spring-leaning varieties is 16-14°C, from October 8 to 20, and the best sowing period temperature is 16-15°C, around October 10 to 15. It should be noted that due to the promotion and application of semi-winter varieties, the improvement of soil and fertilizer conditions, and the strict control of the pre-winter population required in cultivation, the sowing period has been delayed compared with tradition. “White Dew is early, Cold Dew is late, and the Autumn Equinox is just the right time to sow wheat” is only suitable for shady slopes in mountainous areas, some saline-alkali land, and the wheat areas of northwestern Shandong.

2. China's Wheat Production Areas

1. Northern winter wheat region: The northern winter wheat region is mainly distributed north of the Qinling Mountains and Huaihe River and south of the Great Wall. Winter wheat output here accounts for about 56% of the country's total wheat output, mainly distributed in Henan, Hebei, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Shanxi provinces.

2. Southern winter wheat region: The southern winter wheat region is mainly distributed south of the Qinling Mountains and Huaihe River. This is China's main rice-producing area. Planting winter wheat here helps increase the multiple cropping index and boost grain output. It is characterized by a high commodity rate, and the main production areas are concentrated in Jiangsu, Sichuan, Anhui, and Hubei provinces.

3. Spring wheat region: The spring wheat region is mainly distributed north of the Great Wall. Temperatures in this region are generally lower and the production season is short, so one crop per year is dominant. The main producing provinces and regions include Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia.

Wheat mainly includes spring wheat and winter wheat. Flour milled from winter wheat tastes better than that from spring wheat and is often more popular. Wheat is rich in protein, carbohydrates, and other substances, and is one of the main food crops in both the south and the north.