If you have ever had wheatgrass, you'll probably agree it's not the most tasty of juices. But it is highly nutritious and contains just about every vitamin and mineral you'll need for a healthier body. What's more, it's much cheaper to grow it yourself and its super easy too.
Here are the simple steps to grow. Just follow these steps and you'll have a tray full of nutrition right at your fingertips!
Step 1
- Soak your organic, non-GMO Hard Red Spring Wheatgrass seeds overnight or for 6-8 hours in water. Be sure to add twice to three times as much water to the bowl.
Step 2
- Remove your seeds from the bowl and pat them dry using a paper towel. You can re-use the water for your other plants since it's full of nutrients.
- Prepare your tray and medium. Find a shallow re-useable 'take away' tray if possible.
- You can use either a good potting mix or grow them hydroponically with natural hemp mats.
- If you're using potting mix, spread the potting mix onto your tray, pat the mix down evenly and give it a good spray of water so it is moist.
- If you're using a hemp mat, soak the mat through with water
- Spread a generous amount of seeds evenly across the medium. Wheatgrass when grown is smaller than the seed.
- Give the seeds a good spray of water.
Step 4
- Cover the seeds for 3-4 days to give it the black out period it needs to germinate.
Step 5
- Uncover your tray after 3-4 days. Your seeds would have germinated and though they may look pale, they will change into a bright green colour when placed in natural light. Be sure to spray your medium with water. It will need it!
Step 6
- Spray your wheatgrass with water twice a day in the mornings and evenings (unless it's a rainy, cool day, then it may not need watering twice a day).
Your wheatgrass will grow in 7-10 days and be ready for harvesting!
The best time to harvest your wheatgrass is when it has reached the jointing stage. At this point, the leaf is beginning to split or form a secondary leaf. This is generally when it is about 17-20 cm in height.
To harvest your wheatgrass, simply snip about 2cm above the medium. You can usually get between 2-3 additional harvests of wheatgrass out of a particular batch of seeds without noticeable changes of flavour.
If the flavour of pure wheatgrass is too strong for you, mix it with other fruit or vegetable to disguise the taste! Happy juicing!