You can buy wheat seeds, (or berries as they are often known) at your local heath foods store, or order them online. Amazon stock wheatgrass growing kits which inlude seeds, a how-to book and a growing medium (or flat block/tray). This makes it easy to grow wheatgrass indoors.
You will need a juicer that is suitable for wheatgrass and other leafy vegetables. Your regular juicer that pulps up carrots, beetroot, and fruit is not suitable for wheatgrass juicing. Wheatgrass needs to be pressed or squeezed to get the juice just right. There are electric juicers available but a manual juicer is ideal. The kind that reminds you of the mincers that a 1950/60s home would have, except of course, they are more attractively designed these days and made from modern materials. A hand juicer costs around $40.
Wheat seeds will sprout and grow in a shallow dish of water. But it is useful to remember that if you have a good growing medium, you will have good quality wheatgrass. Wheatgrass is able to absorb most of the nutrients we need from the soil. So make sure that you have a good organic soil. You can use the topsoil from your garden and if you have a good compost, use that too. Those of us who live near a garden centre can buy a good bag of potting compost that will last for ages. You may also be able to buy the individual items there if you don’t buy a kit.
1. Many home-growers soak the seeds in water for 24 hours.
(some will wait until the seeds start to sprout before going to steps two and three)
2. Place about an inch (2.4 cms) of soil across the bottom of the seed tray
3. You can then spread out the seeds in the growing tray so that the seeds cover the service of the soil.
4. Cover the seeds with a light layer of soil
5. Place a cover on the tray for two or three days, keep the soil moist and the tray in a warm place (this will force the sprouting)
6. When the shoots are about an inch (2.4 cms) – uncover the tray and place outside in the sunshine or on a sunny window sill
7. The grass will then green up and grow to about 8 – 10 inches (about 20 cms) in 7 – 10 days depending on conditions
8. Cut the grass as near to the soil as possible (you can keep it for up to seven days unwashed) best to use immediately.
9. Squeeze or press the grass
10. Drink the green nectar neat, or mix with your favourite juice.
It is important once you start growing your own, to operate a regular system for a continuous supply. You will gradually find by trial and error how much you need to grow and which is the best size seed tray.
If your enthusiasm for this home grown venture starts to wane, remember the health benefits of wheatgrass juice. It is a natural source of vitamins and minerals and is an excellent source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur, cobalt, and zinc. So it is a great way to get most of the nutrients your body needs and is so easy to digest.
Get your children involved in the growing process. You may find that getting them to drink this sweet grassy drink is a whole lot easier than getting them to eat their ‘greens’.