DIY: Grow Your Own Wheatgrass

Spring is slow to arrive to New Hampshire this year. But that doesn’t stop us Badgers from getting in the springtime mood! We love growing wheatgrass indoors all year. It’s an easy and fun project for kids of all ages. And it reminds us that spring is just around the corner.

But best of all your wheatgrass can be functional. Cats like to nibble it as a digestive treat, it provides a nice pop of color in the house, and you can bypass messy plastic Easter grass in favor of the real thing!

So Badger Emily and daughter Maya recently grew some wheatgrass together for Maya’s kitten. And they plan on doing it again this weekend to create compostable Easter Grass!

You Will Need:

• 3 teaspoons of raw winter wheat berries. These can be found in the bulk aisle of your local co-op or natural foods store, or you can purchase at a seed exchange. (And if you want to plant in a larger container – you’ll need approximately 1 teaspoon of wheat berries for every 2” in container diameter.)
• 6” diameter container. Because wheatgrass doesn’t require a lot of dirt to grow, it can be grown in just about anything. (Even eggshells!) Either use a container with a drainage hole, or add some rocks to the bottom. While wheatgrass needs water to grow, too much can cause it to rot.
• You can use outside soil or potting soil. But consider buying organic soil if you plan on eating or feeding grass to pets.

Directions:

1. First soak the wheat berries in water overnight. As the seeds absorb water they will become larger. So be sure to put them in a container that will allow room for growth.
2. Drain the water and put the berries aside.
3. Put your soil into the container (on top of the rocks, if you are using some for drainage).
4. Next, sprinkle the wheat berries evenly over the top of the soil. You do not need to cover the seeds with soil.
5. Sprinkle water over the wheat berries and soil until the soil is damp. And if you have rock drainage, be careful not to over-water, as this can cause the seeds to rot. It’s important to keep the soil and seeds wet. But you don’t want them sitting in a pool of water and mud.
6. Cover with wax paper or a damp kitchen towel to keep the environment moist. Don't worry - wheat berries do not need sunlight to sprout!
7. Put the container in a warm location for 1-2 days. If you’re using a damp kitchen towel, be sure to check it and re-moisten it as needed. Also, check for sprouting.
8. Once you see roots and sprouts, remove the covering and move the container to a nice, sunny location.
9. Finally, water and rotate the container daily, if needed. And you’ll see healthy grass growth within a week!

Wheatgrass doesn’t last long – it tends to start dying within a few weeks. So if you’re planting for Easter, now’s the time! And once your grass has passed, toss it in the compost to give the worms a treat.

Have you grown wheatgrass? Share tips in the comments below!