Wheatgrass, Barleygrass, Sprouts

[Guest guest]

I am trying to grow wheatgrass, and barleygrass. I am new to sprouts and

sprouting, so I need to know if the sprouts of wheatgrass and barleygrass are

just as good for you to eat as the grasses. Also,at what time do you stop your

sprouting to plant the sprouts, I assume it is before your sprouts grow so much

that their roots are grown together, or is it before they even put out their

roots? I am looking for the best way to do this without too much trail and

error, and I would appreciate any help.

Thanks,

timeformor

[Guest guest]

Hi

I soak the organic hard red winter wheat berries for 24 hours in

distilled or filtered water (some say 12 hours is enough).

I wet the soil thoroughly (we get Foxfarm natural and organic potting

soil,) . I then spread the soaked seeds out on a organic soil .

We use this brand because there are no lumps in it, no sticks, etc. The

berries will not grow

roots into the sticks and lumps that are found in regular organic

potting soil. Do not use Miracle Grow soil.

We use all kinds of containers that we have punched holes in the bottom

for drainage to grow wheat grass in. Regular wheat grass trays you can

buy at a nursery or in kits from the folks that sell them like Handy

Pantry, etc.( 49 dollars for all you need to grow one tray of grass. The

trays are very reusable). I cut down #2, 4, 5 plastic bottles just

below the bottom of the handle. Gallon milk bottles work well because

they can be cut to 4 inches deep and hold about a quarter of cups of

seeds (dry). Once the seeds

sprout they double in size. I might have my quantity measurement off.

Can't quite remember since we use all sorts of containers.

We put one layer of seed on top of the soil. But it is a solid layer. No

space between the seeds. I have seen on

Youtube that people will have a double layer of seeds.

We then take unbleached paper towels by 7th generation, fold them to get

6 layers and soak

the paper towels in the sea kelp fertilizer.

We put this wet mat on top of the seeds and put the tray or container in

a dark place. Or, since we have the shelving units,

I set up a curtain using a light blocking material like felt to create a

dark space for germinating.

I cover the mat with some kind of plastic like the clear plastic covers

that wheat grass sprouting trays come with. I

cover when it is cool (60-70 degrees) but not when it is warm as the

seeds get too warm and get moldy.

I spray the mat and the seeds with the sea kelp water mixture twice a

day to make sure the seeds stay moist.In a couple of days the berries

will have started to send up little shoots (kind of yellow in color) and

are growing little fuzzy roots.

I keep the tray or container in the dark until the shoots are about 1

inch high and then the trays/containers

go on the top shelf of the shelving unit. We have a south facing sliding

glass door and the shelves are in front, near the

glass so they get lots of indirect sun and green up nicely.

They get watered every day with the sea kelp (1 teaspoon per gallon of

water), and also sprayed. All drainer water gets removed and put in the

potted plants outside. Do not let the trays or containers sit in water.

They must drain well.

When the grass has grown 7 inches high, you can cut off the shoots about

1-1 and 1/2 inches above the soil. The grass will continue to grow

again so you can get a second cutting. We refined how we cut the grass.

We cut about 2 inches in from the outside all around the tray or

container. This exposes the grass growing in the center of the tray or

container to the light. It only takes a day for these inside shoots,

which are yellow nearer to the bottom of the shoot, to green up. You

want green for the chlorophyll.

There is tons on Youtube on growing wheat grass. From body builders to

housewives or kids show how they grow wheat grass. Most companies that

sell wheat grass has instructions also. Like all new things, it might

seem overwhelming, but once you have produced a few batches of grass,

you start finding ways to make it work for you.

We used to grow outside, but inside keeps the bugs and birds out of the

picture! And besides, we grow so much it is like have a park inside.

Verrrrry green.

Hope this helps. This is just our way, they are many other ways to do

grow wheat grass. Have fun investigating!

We grow enough so that both of

us can have 2 ounces a day.

To grow as much as we need to we got large plastic shelving units at

Target (Sterlite brand). The shelves are big enough to hold many wheat

grass trays, plus the automatic sprouter, plus all the other stuff we

sprout. We have a large kitchen and

since we don't use a dining room table, there is enough room for the

shelving unit. We got the kind

that has 5 shelves and make two separate units out of them.

It is not recommended that you eat wheat or barley grass. I have heard

it is indigestible for humans, which is probably

why cows have two stomachs! But there are some people who have found a

way to use a blender to chop up the grass

and then strain the juice out. Maybe someone else here can advise on that.

You can get an excellent wheat grass juicer for about 39-59 dollars plus

shipping.

The Brand that was recommended to us was Healthy Juicer by Lexen and we

are really pleased with it.

I just checked Amazon.com and they had it for 39 plus shipping.

Hope this info is off some help.

Happily Sprouting,

Diane

[Guest guest]

Thank you so much Diane for your information. This will help out a lot. I look

forward to trying some more seeds for grass. I didn't think I was going to get

a response, and didn't know if anyone could help.

Thank you so much,

timeformor

>

> Hi

>

> I soak the organic hard red winter wheat berries for 24 hours in

> distilled or filtered water (some say 12 hours is enough).

> I wet the soil thoroughly (we get Foxfarm natural and organic potting

> soil,) . I then spread the soaked seeds out on a organic soil .

> We use this brand because there are no lumps in it, no sticks, etc. The

> berries will not grow

> roots into the sticks and lumps that are found in regular organic

> potting soil. Do not use Miracle Grow soil.

>

> We use all kinds of containers that we have punched holes in the bottom

> for drainage to grow wheat grass in. Regular wheat grass trays you can

> buy at a nursery or in kits from the folks that sell them like Handy

> Pantry, etc.( 49 dollars for all you need to grow one tray of grass. The

> trays are very reusable). I cut down #2, 4, 5 plastic bottles just

> below the bottom of the handle. Gallon milk bottles work well because

> they can be cut to 4 inches deep and hold about a quarter of cups of

> seeds (dry). Once the seeds

> sprout they double in size. I might have my quantity measurement off.

> Can't quite remember since we use all sorts of containers.

>

> We put one layer of seed on top of the soil. But it is a solid layer. No

> space between the seeds. I have seen on

> Youtube that people will have a double layer of seeds.

> We then take unbleached paper towels by 7th generation, fold them to get

> 6 layers and soak

> the paper towels in the sea kelp fertilizer.

>

> We put this wet mat on top of the seeds and put the tray or container in

> a dark place. Or, since we have the shelving units,

> I set up a curtain using a light blocking material like felt to create a

> dark space for germinating.

> I cover the mat with some kind of plastic like the clear plastic covers

> that wheat grass sprouting trays come with. I

> cover when it is cool (60-70 degrees) but not when it is warm as the

> seeds get too warm and get moldy.

>

> I spray the mat and the seeds with the sea kelp water mixture twice a

> day to make sure the seeds stay moist.In a couple of days the berries

> will have started to send up little shoots (kind of yellow in color) and

> are growing little fuzzy roots.

> I keep the tray or container in the dark until the shoots are about 1

> inch high and then the trays/containers

> go on the top shelf of the shelving unit. We have a south facing sliding

> glass door and the shelves are in front, near the

> glass so they get lots of indirect sun and green up nicely.

> They get watered every day with the sea kelp (1 teaspoon per gallon of

> water), and also sprayed. All drainer water gets removed and put in the

> potted plants outside. Do not let the trays or containers sit in water.

> They must drain well.

> When the grass has grown 7 inches high, you can cut off the shoots about

> 1-1 and 1/2 inches above the soil. The grass will continue to grow

> again so you can get a second cutting. We refined how we cut the grass.

> We cut about 2 inches in from the outside all around the tray or

> container. This exposes the grass growing in the center of the tray or

> container to the light. It only takes a day for these inside shoots,

> which are yellow nearer to the bottom of the shoot, to green up. You

> want green for the chlorophyll.

> There is tons on Youtube on growing wheat grass. From body builders to

> housewives or kids show how they grow wheat grass. Most companies that

> sell wheat grass has instructions also. Like all new things, it might

> seem overwhelming, but once you have produced a few batches of grass,

> you start finding ways to make it work for you.

> We used to grow outside, but inside keeps the bugs and birds out of the

> picture! And besides, we grow so much it is like have a park inside.

> Verrrrry green.

>

> Hope this helps. This is just our way, they are many other ways to do

> grow wheat grass. Have fun investigating!

>

> We grow enough so that both of

> us can have 2 ounces a day.

>

> To grow as much as we need to we got large plastic shelving units at

> Target (Sterlite brand). The shelves are big enough to hold many wheat

> grass trays, plus the automatic sprouter, plus all the other stuff we

> sprout. We have a large kitchen and

> since we don't use a dining room table, there is enough room for the

> shelving unit. We got the kind

> that has 5 shelves and make two separate units out of them.

>

> It is not recommended that you eat wheat or barley grass. I have heard

> it is indigestible for humans, which is probably

> why cows have two stomachs! But there are some people who have found a

> way to use a blender to chop up the grass

> and then strain the juice out. Maybe someone else here can advise on that.

>

> You can get an excellent wheat grass juicer for about 39-59 dollars plus

> shipping.

> The Brand that was recommended to us was Healthy Juicer by Lexen and we

> are really pleased with it.

> I just checked Amazon.com and they had it for 39 plus shipping.

>

> Hope this info is off some help.

> Happily Sprouting,

> Diane

>

>

>

>

>

>