DIY Wheatgrass

Making wheatgrass juice is less expensive than buying it from a juice bar.

Growing and juicing your own wheatgrass is inexpensive and nutritious. You'll get to watch the seeds as they develop into sprouts, and then into blades of grass. You can try eating the sprouts like cereal, too. You'll spend less money per ounce of wheatgrass juice than you would if you bought it from a juice bar. Your juice will also be more nutritious: There will be less time for nutrients to be lost between harvesting and juicing because the grass won't have be shipped from the grower to the juice bar.

Things You'll Need

• 48 oz. seed sprouter
• 8 oz. measuring cup
• Potting soil or vermiculite
• Liquid fertilizer concentrate
• Pot or growing tray (at least 4 inches deep)
• Drainage container
• Spray bottle
• Ventilated cover that blocks light
• Pruning shears or scissors
• Large bowl
• Wheatgrass juicer
• Small bowl
• Shot glass or drinking glass

Instructions

Sprouting

1. Wash the sprouter with antibacterial soap. This will prevent mold later, in the growing process.

2. Soak the seeds for eight hours, using the measuring cup to add 8 oz. of wheatgrass seed and 24 oz. of water to the sprouter.

3. Drain the seeds. Refill the sprouter with water and drain it again. Let the seeds sit for eight hours.

4. Rinse the seeds. Fill the sprouter with water and swirl the seeds to make sure all of them are exposed to the water. Drain them and let them sit for eight hours.

5. Rinse and swirl the seeds a second time. Drain and let them sit for eight hours.

6. Rinse and swirl the seeds a third time. Drain and let them sit for eight hours.

7. Rinse the seeds one more time before planting.

Growing

1. Wash all growing equipment with antibacterial soap to prevent mold.

2. Add soil or vermiculite to the tray or pot. Soil should be 2 inches below the top of the container and at least 2 inches deep. The deeper the roots can go, the more nutritious the grass will be.

3. Mix the liquid fertilizer into the soil, follow the manufacturer's directions for diluting the fertilizer. Don't add too much or you could burn the roots. One-third cup of diluted kelp fertilizer is enough for 2 cups of soil.

4. Water the soil. Set the growing container in the drainage container and add water to the soil a little at time until water appears in the drainage container.

5. Spread the seeds evenly over the soil and mist them with water from the spray bottle.

6. Cover the growing container with something that blocks light but allows plenty of air circulation, such as second tray if you're using a tray as a growing container.

7. Mist the seeds with the spray bottle once a day until the blades of grass are 1 inch tall. Then remove the cover. Make sure the grass is a sunny place.

8. Water the grass daily until it is 6 to 8 inches tall. Make sure the soil is always moist but don't over-water or it will mold. To help prevent mold, ensure air circulation by keeping a fan on in the same room as the grass.

Juicing

1. Harvest the grass with the pruning shears and put it in the large bowl. Leave 1 inch of grass above the soil. The grass will continue to grow as long as you water it. You can get several crops from one planting.

2. Juice the grass, following the manufacturer's directions for your juicer. Use the small bowl to catch the juiced grass that comes out of the juicer. Cover the bowl with a paper towel and let it dry. This grass can be powdered in a coffee or herb grinder. Then you can add it to smoothies.

3. Pour the juice into a shot glass. Drink the juice the same way you take a shot of alcohol or cough medicine. The juice tastes sweet. It can be overpowering, but eating a slice of orange afterward helps relieve the taste.

References

• Sprout People: How to Grow Wheatgrass