How to Grow Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is known for its nutritional benefits, but it also benefits the home – it’s pretty, adds a pop of color to your decor and brings the outside in. It’s popular to use in the springtime around Easter for decoration, but why not enjoy the green all year long? You can any time of year when you grow your own. Growing your own wheatgrass is cheap, easy and has quick gratification—within 2 weeks you will be giving your grass a haircut.

Want to grow your own? Let’s begin!

To get started, gather your supplies:

• Wheatgrass seeds, known as hard red wheat berries
• Bowl, dish or jar for soaking seeds
• Container for planting (plant pot, tray, bowl)
• Small rocks (if container has no drainage hole)
• Potting soil
• Spray bottle (for misting with water)

You can find the hard red wheat berries in the bulk section at natural food stores, such as Whole Foods, or online. They should be very inexpensive (I found mine for $1.19 per pound). The size and number of your containers will determine how much you will need. I purchased a pound for two 4-inch diameter pots and had lots left over.

First, soak enough seeds to cover the planting area of your container(s) overnight.

Prepare your containers. If your container doesn’t have a drainage hole, put a layer of rocks on the bottom of your container for drainage. This will help prevent the roots from molding. Fill your container with soil almost to the top, leaving about a ½ inch of space.  Lightly wet the soil.

Cover the top of the soil with the soaked seeds. They should be close together, in a single layer. They do stick together (and to your hands!), so do the best you can. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and lightly water.

Cover the soil with a layer of seeds

Place in indirect light. Several times a day (about three), mist with water—enough to ensure the soil stays moist, but not soaking. In just a few days you should start to see sprouts poking through the soil, and a couple days after that you have grass! It’s quite exciting to see how much the grass grows while sleeping or at work. Though wheatgrass isn’t a weed, it certainly grows like one.

Day 7

Every couple days give your grass a haircut for a nice, trim look. Or if wild and messy is your thing, forgo the scissors! (save your clippings for the juicer or a smoothie if you want to add some wheatgrass to your diet)

Day 13 post haircut

Even if you don’t have the greenest thumb, or even have a black thumb, it’s easy to grow your own wheatgrass indoors to brighten up your home. Give it a try – and tell me if you don’t get a smile just looking at it.

For more tips, home projects, recipes and inspiration from Justine head to www.youresomartha.com where she documents her attempts at all things domestic.