The story of my Wheatgrass plant begins in a barn in Aurora, Oregon. Actually, it begins much, much earlier than that.
While working at Pacific Natural Foods’ Organic Farm last year, my husband found a rare strain of wheat seeds in an old, forgotten barn. This strain of wheat was so old, it wasn’t in any of the plant identification books and as it turns out, was one of the oldest strains to exist in America. We decided to bring this awesome strain of seeds home to wheat-growing Pullman, Washington and try our hand and growing our own Wheatgrass for the health benefits.
Growing Wheatgrass
We germinated our wheat seeds by soaking them in water for 24 hours then planting them an inch below the soil in a medium pot. Since it’s winter, we placed the pot under a grow light that provides fake sunshine for 13 hours a day.
The Wheatgrass grew quickly! This was how big the plant was after 7 days of growing. At this height, the grass is ready for harvest and blending or juicing.
Juicing/Blending
You can juice or blend your Wheatgrass to drink it. If you blend it, you’ll have to skim off the grass that won’t blend, which is frothy and doesn’t taste good. Just drink the liquid.
Maintaining Your Wheatgrass Plant
Chop all of your Wheatgrass plant at one time to make sure you don’t let the grass grow too big. The health benefits of Wheatgrass come from the juvenile leaves, so keep them small for maximum internal love.
Wheatgrass plants for juicing cost $4-5 at the grocery store, so growing your own from regular wheat seeds and cutting it regularly will provide you with a cheap and constant supply of wheatgrass year-round.
Photos: Elizabeth Adan
Elizabeth Adan is a Freelance Writer, Publicist and Brand Ambassador. Her blog Aquaberry Bliss is a unique food and travel blog dedicated to expanding your world and inspiring your creativity. When Elizabeth isn’t traveling, you’ll find her writing, hiking or gardening. Find Elizabeth on Twitter @stillaporcupine and on LinkedIn.
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