How to Grow Wheatgrass

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Step # 1:  Pre-sprout/Germinating

 

Organic wheatgrass seeds are recommended for sprouting to ensure the sweetness of your wheatgrass juice and that it will contain the optimum vitamins and minerals that will boost your health.

  1. Pre-sprouting is so important to ensure a good crop.  Follow these steps to pre-sprout your wheatgrass seeds to ensure that your crop grows at a much faster rate.
  2. Measure out a bowl of seeds.  Amount: estimate enough to fill one layer of seeds on whatever the size of your tray. (about 500 mL or 16 oz.)
  3. Rinse the seeds in clean water, drain, then soak the seeds in a container with about 2-3 times of cool water.
  4. Soak for about 8-10 hours.
  5. Check if it has sprouted roots of at least 1/8 of an inch to 1/4 of an inch.  If not, soak for another 8-10 hours.

 

Step # 2:  Preparing the Tray

 

  1. Fill the tray with pre-moistened soil, compost or potting mix to about one and half inch of the tray depth.  Ensure that your soil does not contain artificial fertilizers or chemicals.  Always use organic.

 

Step # 3:  Planting

  1. Lay out the germinated seeds evenly and densely in one layer, on the damp soil in the tray.  Gently impressed the seeds into the soil.

  2. Place your tray under a grow light or indirect sunlight, probably inside your house, near a window and with proper ventilation.  Wheatgrass does not like hot direct sunlight.

Step # 4:  Watering

The young shoots need to be watered at least once a day to keep them nice and moist.  If the soil gets dry, the young shoots may die off before they root.  To help prevent this, put a sheet of damp newspaper over the tray to keep them moist until they grow to about an inch high.

To water, use a spray bottle, adjusting to light-medium.  When the shoots are above one inch, probably about day 5, reduce watering to once a day in the morning.  But always ensure that the water is just enough to keep the soil damp to the roots.  Avoid over-watering.

In warmer and humid climates, mold may tend to grow in your wheatgrass tray.  This is a common problem but is harmless.  When harvesting, just cut above the affected area, avoiding the mold.  A blowing fan during humid days may help prevent mold-growth.

 

Step # 5:  Harvesting

When your wheatgrass grows to about 6-7 inches (about day 9 or 10), it is ready for harvesting.  Use a scissors and cut the wheatgrass just above the seeds.  If there is mold, avoid and cut above it.  You need about a bunch of the grass to make about 1 ounce of shot enough to give you energy for a day.  Cut just prior to juicing to ensure freshness.

A tray the size of 21″ x 11″ should be able to provide you enough wheatgrass for about 14-18 ounces of juice.

Note:  You may continue to water the crop to produce a second or third crop though they may not be as tender nor grow as tall.  But you get extra ounces from it.  Otherwise, clean the tray and start a new crop.

Step # 6:  Juice and Enjoy

To juice wheatgrass, you need a wheatgrass juicer or a gear juicer.  A centrifugal juicer is not be able to juice wheatgrass, and you may clog up the strainer in the process as it is very fibrous.

Rinse your wheatgrass and juice.  Do not take more than one ounce a day if you are not familiar with drinking juices.  Wheatgrass juice is such a powerful cleanser that it may cause you some healing reactions.

Courtesy of Juicing for Health