How to Grow Wheatgrass + Easy Printable Instructions
Have you ever tried to grow wheatgrass or are you intimidated by a lack of green thumb? Today, I'm going to take you through how to grow wheatgrass without a single complicated step.
Here's a wheatgrass fail. I tried to do this tutorial earlier but didn't calculate very well and had to fly to Pittsburgh right after planting. My sweet family set it outside after it dried out, but thanks to some rain we got a little grass anyway! From the dirt spots it also appears to have been food for the birds!
My first attempt at wheatgrass
My first attempt at wheatgrass was a disaster! I had no idea what I was doing. I hadn't done any research into how to grow wheatgrass so, I put wheat berries on some dirt and sprinkled them with water daily. Then waited and waited…and absolutely nothing. A few of the berries split and produced little fuzzy roots but they dried up quickly and that was that. I was 100% sure lack of water was the reason for my first failure SO next time…
My second attempt at wheatgrass
After talking to my father about my failure he suggested soaking my wheat overnight before planting. So, take two, I soaked the berries for two days. Sprinkled the wormy looking berries onto wet soil and dutifully watered them daily. I kept them wet and things started happening! Unfortunately I was growing a lovely batch of mold and not a blade of beautiful grass. I had to toss the moldy mess and almost gave up on ever trying to grow wheatgrass again!
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How to Grow wheatgrass…for real
The vibrant green lured me back in and I decided to try again for centerpieces at a Ladies Garden Party for my church. After my trial and error I came up with a plan that works really well.
Ingredients:
Here's what you'll need –
- Wheat berries: I want to note that you don't need anything special any wheat will do as long as they are whole berries that haven't been cracked. I purchase organic wheat berries because blend the grass in smoothies but if you're using it purely for decorative purposes it doesn't really make a difference for nutrition, though I always like to support organic farmers when possible.
- Potting soil: I took soil from my garden but you can get organic potting soil at most stores and non-organic even at the dollar store in spring
- Spray Bottle of water
- Planter of some sort
- Colander
- Bowl: Large enough for the colander to sit down in
- Gravel: For the bottom of a planter without holes. I got these from my garden as well.
Day One (1): Soaking
Determine how many containers you need to fill or how much wheat grass you'd like to grow. I've found that 1/2 cup of wheat will cover an 8″x8″ baking dish. Then measure out the desired amount of wheat berries and rinse them in the colander. Then place them in your bowl and cover with water. I do this in the evening and soak the wheat berries overnight.
That morning drain water, rinse wheat, and place back in bowl with enough water to cover them. That evening before bed repeat the drain, rinse, and cover process and let soak overnight. I'm including the prep night into the first day. It's so quick it almost doesn't count!
Day Two (2): Rinsing
The morning after soaking for the 2nd night, pour through a colander with holes small enough that you don't lose any berries. Throughly rinse the berries, turning them all over and mixing them up. They should look like this {See photo} with little tiny white dots forming on each berry. Place the whole strainer back into the bowl to drain, and cover with a damp towel to keep in moisture. {If you live in a humid area you can leave your towel dry}.
Because Utah is a high desert I repeat this rinsing process in the afternoon and again in the evening. In humid areas you may be able to skip the afternoon rinsing. If in doubt, rinse it again. Since the berries aren't sitting in the water and have air circulation with the colander holes they shouldn't start to mold.
Day Three (3): Sprouting
This is actually day 4. Guess I missed a photo for day 3 {oops!} You can see grass shoots and a tangle of roots. This is almost over sprouted but I planted these babies and they grew well.
It'll take a day or two days before they really start to sprout. You know they are sprouting when little white dots become fuzzy “worms”. You could plant them at this stage but I've had batches dry out {Ahem, I have three kids so the grass isn't my number one priority!}. I like to leave them in the bowl and continue the wash, drain, repeat cycle until I see just a little bit of green. For me this is usually day 4.
Day Four (4): Planting
At this point you can place them in any container and as long as you give them enough {but not too much} water they should grow just fine. If I'm using it for decorative purposes I add potting soil to my container, then cover it with a thick layer of sprouted wheat. That way the grass stays nice and green for a longer period of time. Without the soil it doesn't get enough long term nutrients, eventually turning yellow. If you plan to blend or juice it that week, forgo the soil and use specially designed sprouting trays. I have also let the sprouts go too long in the rinse drain cycle and they turned into a ball of roots and shoots, which as it turns out, were sweet and delicious on salads and sandwiches. { happy accident!}
Once you transfer the sprouted wheat to a container make sure it drains. If your container doesn't have drainage holes make sure to line the bottom with a thick layer of gravel. I collected my pea gravel from the soil in my garden. It doesn't matter how many rocks I pick out, each spring there's a whole new crop thats surfaced over the winter! Even with the gravel, if you overwater mold will form at the base of the grass. I've tried a few things to get rid of the mold but once it starts that's usually the end of that wheat grass cycle. It's not healthy to have active mold in your home. {Especially since I have a son with respiratory issues.} Though you can still enjoy the wheat grass as long as it's cut well above the moldy root line. Use a colander keep the roots and top layer moist. If it's wet enough the roots start disappearing into the soil, if not they shrivel up on top.
Days Five-Six (5-6): Watering
Day 5 The sprouts are taking hold and starting to turn green
Keep spraying the grass shoots 2-3 times in a spot with partial sun so the shoots don't get cooked. Each morning you will find they've grown measurably. This part is pretty exciting for my kiddos.
Day 6 The sprouts are filling in a little more and starting appear more like grass!
Days Seven Plus (7+): Enjoying
Day 7 It really is grass! This would be enough to display right here but just wait….it gets better!
Day 7 – you can see that even though the height of the grass is getting taller there are still berries that haven't fully sprouted.
This is when you're hard work and devotion pays off. The grass has come in thick, green, and ready to show off! Wheatgrass makes a beautiful centerpiece for a garden party, Easter decor, or Mother's Day brunch. And is versatile enough for an appearance at a Dinosaur Party, Alice in Wonderland Tea Party, or Farm Party too.
After 9 or 10 days you'll want to trim it or the grass starts falling down. I take scissors and literally pretend to give it a haircut. Since I don't have a “masticating juicer” needed for wheatgrass, I take the clippings a throw it in my Vitamix blender with my usual smoothie ingredients. The fresh grass is tender enough it blends up well but do NOT try unless you have a high speed blender. {I know they are expensive but it's the appliance I use most out of my whole kitchen!} Also don't use too much grass {I use a couple handfuls for a half-full blender} or the extra fiber can cause mild tummy troubles and may taste too strong. I personally like the mild grassy taste, as do my children, but I blend it up with bananas, pineapple, and coconut milk to tone down the flavor.
Ready for Display:
Day 8 Ready to display. The grass blades have opened up. It is lush, full, and beautiful! All dressed up and no where to go. It'll have to wait for Mother's Day to be fully appreciated!
Day Fourteen (14): Say Farewell
I can get several cuttings over 2 weeks before the grass starts to fade. If I used a natural fertilizer it would probably last even longer. But by that time we're usually wheatgrass smoothie'd out and I'm sick of watering it! After I harvest the final cutting, I compost the remainder and have zero waste. Thank you wheatgrass, you've been a beautiful addition to our home and our diet!
Ready, Set, Sprout!
Now that you're all ready to grow wheatgrass of your own, here's a handy dandy printable instruction list. Click here: Instructions on How to Grow Wheatgrass
I love the versatility of wheat grass and vibrant green it provides, especially in late winter when all hope of summer has been lost! If you have been putting off trying to grow wheatgrass take heart. Follow these easy steps and learn how to grow wheatgrass like a pro. Or at least like me! Have fun, take some pictures, and share it with us on Facebook or Instagram #growwheatgrass
Until next time,
Can you please tell which type of seeds are good to grow wheatgrass ,organic or hybrid
Sorry for the delay! I’ve been traveling. You can use any of them to grow wheatgrass for a centerpiece. But if you plan on using the grass in smoothies I’d recommend an organic seed.