Wheatgrass - How to grow it

These wheatgrass growing instructions are taken from Sprout Organic Wheatgrass website

Soaking the wheatgrass seed

1 cup/250grams wheat grain = 1 tray (approximately)

1. Place seed in soaking jar
2. Fill jar with water and soak for between 3 – 12 hrs depending on the temperature to help with seed germination.

  • Hot weather (25ºc+)- 3 to 6hrs
  • Colder weather less than (25ºc)- 6 to 12hrs
3. Empty water and rinse, leaving the jar in a draining position on its side or upside down (Note: Do not soak for longer than 12 hours)
4. Rinse twice a day for approximately 1 –2 days until you see little white shoots appearing (this is to help keep the seeds moist while they are germinating).
5.Now you are ready to plant your wheatgrass!

Preparing the tray

1. Line the bottom of the tray with a bleach free paper to stop roots protruding through the holes in the bottom, and to prevent the soil from falling through the tray (optional step).
2. Fill the tray with soil/potting mix so that it is approximately 3cm deep and pat down well. Make sure that the soil/potting mix is damp before you fill the tray.*
3. Gently spread the seed evenly over the soil trying to make sure that it is only a single layer.
4. Water well.

Trays can be kept inside or outside. Wheatgrass prefers filtered sunlight to almost full sun. A spot near a window is a good position as natural sunlight is best. However take care on the hotter days as wheatgrass can get burnt tips as well as wilting in hot direct sunlight.

*Note: You can use potting mix from your local nursery (We recommend using certified organic potting mixes). If you cannot find a certified organic potting mix, you can use a premium potting mix that is compost based. Try to avoid using potting mixes that have synthetic fertilisers as the nutrient base.
You can also use soil from your backyard but make sure the medium that you use is fairly friable, well drained and has plenty of nutrients. A good mix is 50% soil and 50% compost.

Watering your wheatgrass

1.Water at least once a day using a light to medium spray, ensuring that the soil is always moist and that the water is getting down to the soil and roots.
2. If possible, water twice a day when the seeds are very young.  If the seeds dry out they can die before they get a chance to take root.  One method that can be used to avoid seeds drying out is to place some material (eg an old sheet that has been ripped up, or newspaper) over the top of the tray until the shoots are 1-2cm high.  Keep the covering damp all the time.

Wheatgrass trouble shooting

Mould when growing wheatgrass:
Mould growth is very common when growing wheatgrass.  Because the shoots are grown very close together the moist conditions at the base of the shoots are the perfect environment for mould to grow, especially in the warmer times of the year.
As annoying as it may be, mould that grows on wheatgrass has been found to be harmless to humans and when you are ready to juice you can cut above the affected areas.
  • One method you can use to reduce mould growth is to use the best wheat seed.
  • Keep your wheatgrass in a well ventilated position.
  • On the hotter days i.e. temperatures over 30ºc, perhaps move the tray inside or to the coolest place available.
  • Avoid soaking the seed for too long during hotter days.
  • Avoid over watering.

Other common problems:

  • Birds, rats and mice - also love wheatgrass. I'm sure you have your own ways to deal with them.
  • Poor germination is often attributed to the seeds drying out directly after planting - use the covering methods described above in the "Watering" section.