Spread seeds evenly on thoroughly moistened medium.
Rinse your seeds one last time and then sprinkle them across the Vermiculite. Spread them out as evenly as you can. We use a lot of grain and though some literature will tell you that your seeds should not ever lay atop each other, we have found from years of experience and thousands of Trays of Grass grown that that is bunk! You will learn for yourself that Grass produces a plant that takes up less room than the grain did, and so to maximize your yield your seeds must lay atop each other to some degree. The thing to watch is this: If you find mold or fungal problems in your Grass then lessen the amount of grain you plant. The hotter/more humid your climate is the more of an issue the mold/fungus is. As always, you need to adapt to your own climate and seasonal conditions. And learn as you go - this is really easy and learning is always fun!
Cover the planted tray
with an inverted tray (the Cover Tray) - to keep light out and moisture in.
Note: Your covering tray should have holes or slits in it so that some air circulation exists. Without this very minimal air flow you might have mold or fungal problems.
Place in a low-light, room temperature location.
70° is always optimal but Grass will grow very well in cooler temperatures also.
Water lightly once or twice a day.
The goal is to keep the sprouts moist until their roots bury themselves in the medium - at which point your goal is to keep the medium moist. Spraying the sprouts is best - whether you use a garden hose sprayer, hand sprayer or faucet sprayer - just try to make sure that every sprout gets rinsed and quenched until they bury their roots. Use Kelpman as often you like - we do it every other watering usually.
Water the medium.
Once the roots are buried all you need to do is keep the medium moist - the seeds and subsequent grass will get the moisture they need through their roots. Water from the side if possible, to prevent injuring the tender blades.
Vermiculite holds water better than anything, but this trick makes life even easier: Use the Drip Tray to hold some water. The roots will eventually grow into this, so don't go crazy - too much can drown your plants and/or lead to fungal or mold problems. Just leave as much water as the grass and Vermiculite can drink in a day and then add more the following day. The amount is dependant on the climate (humidity especially) you're growing in, so you'll have to learn this for yourself. We suggest that you start with 1-2 cups in the Drip Tray. We pour the enriched water down through the growing grass - around the edges. Lift the Planting Tray to see how much is left after 4, 8 and 12 hours. If the Drip Tray is dry add more water - if there is still water 24 hours later then cut back the next time you add water. Pretty simple really, and not as risky as we make it sound - it is really a time saver and produces happy healthy grass. Use Kelpman too. The real big issue is that if you leave too much water – especially Kelpman water, sitting in the tray – it will get to smelling really foul! It doesn’t hurt the grass, but it should be avoided – unless you like foul odors. We probably give more water than is necessary, but we end up with great crops and the grass keeps growing even after we cut it - even if we don't add water daily. Vermiculite is great stuff!
Uncover your Grass
Wait 3-4 days until it is 1-2 inches tall or until it pushes the covering tray up (it really will do that - it is cool!)
Move to a well lit location to Green your Grass
(If you use direct sunlight (a very good idea for grass) be prepared to do more watering). Keep it moist by watering the medium daily. Watch it grow. It takes about 10 days to get to....
Harvest
By cutting just above the Vermiculite when the Grass is 6 or more inches tall (actually height is just a matter of yield - you can cut it any time you want to).
Note: We believe that you will get the best flavor and nutrition from freshly cut Grass. We cut JUST prior to juicing and we feel the difference! But, you are better off juicing week old Grass than no Grass at all, so do what you must! Drink More Juice!
If you are going to store your crop: During the final 8-12 hours minimize the surface moisture of your Grass - it will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the touch. So if you water try to keep the water off the plants - just water the medium by watering around the edges or add water to the Drip Tray directly.
Transfer your crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice - glass is good - and put them in your refrigerator.
Note: We sometimes juice our grass and pour it into ice cube trays – freeze it – and thaw/drink a cube or 3 when we want. Freezing is a great way to store your juice. Refrigeration doesn’t work well – the flavor gets too spicy after just a day – so freeze it or best, drink it fresh.
Another Note: Grass can produce a 2nd and even 3rd crop so you may continue to water the Tray after you cut your first crop. The 2nd and more so the 3rd crop is not as tender nor usually as big, but it is good to try growing at least a 2nd crop. Decide for yourself if it is worth it! Vermiculite is the best medium if you want to go for multiple cuttings!
One last note, once again: The more densely you plant the seed the less air circulates around the individual blades of grass. This can cause some fungal growth - we call it “fuzzies”. This is not a problem, except that it is unattractive. If you are consuming this as juice - just rinse it off when you harvest the grass. If you hate it - increase air flow by planting less seed. Additionally, you may move your grass to a better ventilated area. In summer we grow our grass outside (from the point when we uncover the tray) for optimal air circulation.
When you need more Wheat, come to our Wheat Grass page.
