by Mike Bergonzi
Ok, here is grows... 
Spend as little as $1 - $2 per week to have your very own wheatgrass juice at home, all you need is a seperate wheatgrass juicer. You can grow wheatgrass INDOORS, in a planting tray, flower pot, cup, etc... without mold no matter where you live in the world. I do suggest always growing wheatgrass in soil rather than hydroponically (no soil). Growing indoors or outdoors doesn't change the actual grass itself. Visit our store at the 'STORE' link at the top of the page. You may order your own "How to Grow" DVD by Michael Bergonzi (updated in 2009) from this website store. The DVD includes how to grow wheatgrass, sunflower, pea greens and buckwheat. (Pea Greens can be grown the same way as wheatgrass!) Seperate sprouting DVD will include all different kinds of sprouts (mung beans, whole lentils, fenugreek, alfalfa, broccoli, clover, garbanzo beans, adzuki, quiona, millet, etc...) all of these are grown hydroponically, without soil. If you are in need of more help after watching the DVD, phone consultations can be purchased here or he will be happy to answer all your questions via email or from the 'contact us' link above.
To begin, you will need some growing trays... There are the small trays, which are 10"x10" use approx 1 cup (½ pound) of seed and will yield up to 10 ounces of juice or there are the large trays are 17"x17" use up to 2 cups (one pound) of seed and will yield up to 20 ounces of juice per tray. The large trays should produce almost 2 pounds of wheatgrass. One pound of wheatgrass = approx. 12 ounces of juice, when using the Healthy Juicer. don't forget that you can grow wheatgrass in a flower pot as well, or any other container that will hold some soil in it ...some soil of any kind... potting mix, top soil, potting soil, FYI: at times, and organic compost in a bag may be too acid base and your wheat seeds will not grow as well. Please read in detail about the reason I will always use soil when growing wheatgrass, never hydroponic. .... and some wheat seeds. *Remember: Seeds to grow in soil (with trays, pots, etc...) are hard winter (or spring) wheat seeds for wheatgrass, small black or black oil sunflower seeds for sunflower greens, snow or speckled pea seeds for pea greens and whole buckwheat (with the shell) for buckwheat lettuce greens. Seeds that you can grow hydroponically are alfalfa, broccoli, clover, radish, garlic, onion, mustard, chia... these will grow into the micro greens and then you can also sprout and eat adzuki beans, mung beans, whole red or green lentils, fenugreek, garbanzo, etc... **SEE HOW TO SPROUT CHART AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.
The basics to get you started:
1. Soak your hard winter wheat seed (also called wheatberries, please stop calling them berries, they are SEEDS! thanks!) overnight or 8-12 hours. Hard spring wheat will also work, however, at times, the winter wheat is a better choice. They are the same seed, just harvest at the farm a different time of the year.
2. Sprout the seed in a jar for the next 16-24 hours, rinsing the seed well three times a day, before work, after work & before bed or before school, after school and before bed... some of you may have gotten that joke and laughing right now!!
3. Plant the seed after a very short "tail" is visable, on top of the soil (basic potting mix or top soil will work fine, peat moss is an important ingredient to look for in your soil, if you have to add peat moss the mix is 1part peat moss/3parts soil) filled half way up the tray. Do not bury the seeds under the soil, however, you will need to cover them up to keep them wet.
4. Water tray, heavy but gentley, once in the morning and then cover seed to keep from drying out for the first three days. Another tray can be used that will go right on top of the seed, either empty or full with soil (you won't hurt the seeds), or a black piece of plastic. The cover is to keep the seeds wet.
5. During the first three days of growth, water once a day, heavy but gentle, in the am and really soak the soil (until the tray drips is a good sign you are watering enough) and then lightly mist your seed in the pm, before bed (lift cover off to mist seed).
6. On the fourth day, uncover grass (roots should begin to take over your soil), water heavy once a day and keep the grass in the shade (never direct sunlight). If you can 'see' in the room where you are growing and do not have to turn on a light, then there is plenty of light for your grass to green up. In the winter months, if you have to keep the grass inside a room where there are no windows, you may just have to change the light bulbs in that room to full / wide spectrum lights. Leave them on as the sun would be out. Visit www.ottlite.com for more details on these lights.
7. For mold problems, increase your air circulation with a fan or A/C to keep temp between 60-80 degrees. Please also visit the 'FAQ' link and read all about MOLD and Wheatgrass. I have the answers you are looking for! Trust me!!
8. Harvest grass when a second blade of grass appears or when the grass 'splits / joints' toward the bottom of the blade (average growing time is 7-12 days depending on the weather, but still always watch for the second blade of grass as you can never judge by how many days it has been growing or how tall the grass is). A pair of scissors works great to cut the grass. Harvest really low and right above the seed. *Remember it is always better to harvest your wheatgrass sooner rather than later!! The older it gets, the more bitter it tastes. Read the blog at 'Michael's Blog' link.
9. Only harvest one time... that cut grass will store in the fridge for up to 7 - 14 days, use the 'green bags' (coming soon for sale in our store) and be sure that your fridge is cold, 38-40 degrees. Once you harvest, then start process all over again with new seed and soil. It will grow back a second time, however, it will have lost 50-75% of it's nutritional value. Wheat is an annual seed, so the first growth is the one you want. The second can be given to your animals!!! (Or as an implant! and again, some of you are now laughing!!)
This is just some hints on growing, refer to the video for detailed instructions.
You can purchase more supplies from the STORE link above to begin growing your own at home (seeds, small & large planting trays, racks and fresh sprouts / grass).
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| DAY ONE, sprouted wheat seeds
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| DAY ONE, close up
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| DAY TWO, wheatgrass seeds growing
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| DAY TWO, close up
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| DAY FOUR, wheatgrass growing
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| DAY FOUR, close-up
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| DAY FOUR, even closer, see the roots?
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| DAY FIVE, wheatgrass growing
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| DAY FIVE, wheatgrass
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| Jointing Stage - Time to Harvest
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| DAY FOUR, even closer, see the roots?
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| Roots of full grown wheatgrass.
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| Small Growing Rack - holds 7 trays, 10"x10" |
