As a low input crop, spring oats can be a very useful addition to the rotation. It is a crop which has become more popular as the nutritional benefits for us all have increased consumption and therefore increased demand from oat millers. Spring oats also provide another cropping option where take-all or blackgrass is an issue. To get a spring oat crop off to a decent start, it is advisable to drill before mid-April as the crop will be able to tiller well during the early stages.