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Chapter 7
How To Grow and Juice Wheatgrass
All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the
flower of the field. - Isaiah 40:6
Until now we have concentrated on the theory and philosophy behind the use of
wheatgrass juice as food and medicine. In this and the next two chapters I will
discuss the more practical aspects and applications of wheatgrass, including
growing methods, juicing, and the wheatgrass fast.
There is nothing difficult about growing your own wheatgrass at home. At the
Hippocrates Institute we have created an indoor gardening system for growing
buckwheat lettuce, sunflower greens, and wheatgrass. Indoor gardening requires
little time and effort—and no costly supplies. In fact, a special juicer for the
purpose of juicing the wheatgrass is about the only expensive item you may want
to obtain. The rest of the supplies are inexpensive and can be found locally.
(If you prefer, these are also available by mail. See the Appendix.)
SETTING UP AN INDOOR GARDEN
The first step in setting up your own indoor garden system will be finding a
location to plant and store the trays of wheatgrass. You will also need a
place to keep seeds and topsoil or compost. Since I live on the third floor of
our Boston Institute, I both plant and store all my supplies right in my
kitchen. If you live in a house you may want to set up the system in your
kitchen, in your basement, in your garage, on the back porch, or in a special
greenhouse area. You may also choose to break up the operations, for example, by
storing soil and actually planting in the basement, setting trays in upstairs
windows, and soaking seeds in jars by the kitchen sink. Whatever setup you
choose, though, you will need plenty of indirect sunlight for the growing plants
and a warm place to start the trays off during the winter months (65-75° F is
ideal).
If the thought of bringing soil into your home bothers you, and you have no
place to grow things outdoors, don't panic. Although there is no real substitute
for wheatgrass grown in good soil, there are ways to grow it without soil in
automatic sprouters. I use one of these to grow sprouts at home, but I still
prefer to use soil to grow wheatgrass and baby greens. This is because after
about five days of growth young plants begin to look for nutrients not found in
the seed, but found in soil. Thus, for two to five days the plants grown in
automatic sprouting machines are in need of outside nutrients that are not
available. The result is wheatgrass that isn't as potent as it could be.
However, if soilless growing is the only way you can foresee growing and using
wheatgrass, it is far better than having none at all.
GROWING WHEATGRASS
If you use the method that I recommend, you will need to seek out some good
topsoil and peat moss, or a mixture of topsoil and compost. Topsoil is the first
twelve to twenty inches of dark-colored soil immediately beneath the grass on
your lawn, or under the leaves covering the surface of a wooded area. If you
live in a city, rather than risk being jailed for digging in the park, get some
topsoil from a friend in the suburbs, or buy a few large bags from a florist or
garden supply store. Peat moss is also available at these shops. Instructions
for setting up a composting system begin on page 74.
When taking topsoil from a wooded area, especially one where pine trees are
growing, mix about a half pint of ground limestone (lime) into a trash barrel
full of soil. This will offset the acidity of the soil and make your wheatgrass
richer-tasting and easier to grow. Lime is inexpensive, and is available at any
garden center. Ordinary lawn topsoil won't usually need lime, but you can add a
handful or two per barrel full of soil just to be on the safe side. If you are
using compost from an outdoor garden, it should be screened before being mixed
with the topsoil, to remove large stones, sticks, and other debris. Do not use
compost that has been treated with animal manures, as this may contain harmful
bacteria. If you aren't mixing compost into the soil, mix soil with peat moss in
a 75-25 ratio.
To produce a tray of wheatgrass per day, you will need to start off with two
barrels full of topsoil and half a bale of peat moss. Along with this you will
need two additional empty barrels to begin composting the used plant mats. These
will take care of your soil needs for a few weeks. After that time you will be
able to use the recycled soil mats from the compost barrels.
"Hard" or "winter" wheatberries are the ones we use to grow wheatgrass. These
wheatberries are small, elongated grains with a deep golden color. If possible,
obtain organically grown seeds from a natural foods store. Sprays and
fertilizers lodged in plant fibers are toxic, and sprayed seeds do not grow
well.
For planting the wheatberries I recommend that you purchase some hard plastic
trays. Restaurant supply stores will often sell you cafeteria trays about 10" x
14" in size. Of these you will need one to hold the soil and another to cover
each planted tray for the first three days of growth. So in all you will need
about a dozen trays if you plan to harvest a tray per day.
To soak the wheatberries before planting, you will need some wide-mouth jars.
While seeds are soaking and sprouting, cover the jars with squares of nylon mesh
(available at hardware stores), and secure each with a rubber band. Try to get
strong rubber bands, as weak ones can snap and the sprouts will go everywhere.
The only other things you will need are water and a little patience.
Planting Instructions
The amount of wheatberries to use will vary according to the size of the tray
you're using, but in general one cup of dry wheatberries will be the right
amount for a 10" x 14" tray. Before planting, wash the wheatberries to remove
any grime or dust. Next, place them in a jar and fill it with water. Put a
screen over the top and let it sit overnight (or for twelve hours). Drain the
wheat after soaking, and rinse it well. Let it sprout in the jar at a 45° angle
for another twelve hours—this makes twenty-four hours between washing the
wheatberries and actually planting them.
Now spread a smooth, even layer of soil one inch deep at the bottom of the tray,
leaving small trenches around the edges to catch excess water. Pour the sprouted
wheat in the middle of the tray and spread it out evenly with your hands,
covering the soil. Ideally, one seed should touch another on all sides, but
should not have any others piled on top of it. Sprinkle the tray with water,
making it damp (but not swampy), and cover with another tray.
The second tray, used as a cover, creates a mini-ecosystem that duplicates the
conditions under which wheat would normally grow outdoors. Beneath the cover the
wheat will stay moist, warm, and protected from light, just as it would if it
were covered with a thin layer of soil in the fields—but in this case the seeds
stay clean and grow faster. After you have watered and covered the tray, set it
aside for two to three days.
One-Day-Old Wheatgrass
At the end of two to three days (two in warmer weather and three otherwise)
uncover the trays, water them, and set them out in indirect light. The two- to
three-day-old wheatgrass will be about one inch high, very sturdy, and white or
yellowish in color. The berry portion is barely visible at this stage. The more
indirect light the plants get, the thicker and shorter the leaves and blades of
grass will be, but direct sunlight will stunt their growth and dry out the soil
in a couple of hours. Ideally, a balance between light and shade will produce
thick, green, and juicy wheatgrass.
If you uncover a tray and see a bunch of greenish-blue mold instead of
wheatgrass, you may have had bad seeds or you may have drowned them by soaking
them too long. It is also possible that you over-watered the tray and/or placed
it in too warm a spot to germinate. Try new seeds, less water, and a cooler
location (about 65-75° F).
Once the trays of wheatgrass are set out in the light, they will need to be
watered every day or every other day depending on the weather, humidity, and
indoor temperature. The first or second time you water the plants, mix in a
tablespoon of powdered kelp so that they will take up added trace minerals and
iodine. Try not to muddy the soil, but keep it moist at all times. If by
accident a tray is allowed to dry out, avoid the temptation to flood it with
water, as this will shock the plants further. Moisten the soil instead, and make
sure it doesn't dry out again for the next two days. Don't worry if the plants
refuse to stand up straight again. Drooping is caused by lack of water, and the
wheatgrass will still be good to eat.
After about six to twelve days your wheatgrass will be about 7-10 inches tall
and ready to harvest. In cooler weather, it may take a few days longer for
wheatgrass to mature fully, but during hot weather it can reach 10 inches in
five days.
To harvest wheatgrass, cut as close to the soil as possible, because many
nutrients are concentrated close to the soil mat. If you pull up some soil with
the plants, merely rinse the root ends with plain water before juicing or eating
the wheatgrass. Do not rinse the grass if you are going to store it in the
refrigerator, however, as the water speeds its decomposition.
Ideally, wheatgrass should be juiced and used immediately after cutting.
Although the cut grass can be stored for up to seven days in plastic bags in the
refrigerator, once juiced it will begin to go bad in a half hour, and be
completely spoiled in twelve hours. If wheatgrass juice is not used right away,
it should be discarded.
Planting Instructions Check List
As a handy reference guide to growing wheatgrass indoors, I have summarized the
steps that we have just discussed.
• Mix 2 barrels of topsoil 50-50 with peat moss or screened compost. Obtain
about 12 hard plastic cafeteria trays, several wide-mouth jars, and wheatberries
to plant.
• Wash wheatberries and let them soak for 12 hours; then allow them to sprout
for 12 hours.
• Spread soil 1 inch deep on trays, leaving shallow trenches around the edges to
catch excess water. Smooth the soil and spread the sprouted wheatberries on top.
• Water the planted tray, cover with another tray, and set aside for 2-3 days.
• On Day 4, uncover the tray, water it, and set it in indirect light. Continue
watering the tray daily or every other day, as needed, to keep it moist.
• Harvest wheatgrass with a sharp knife when it reaches 7-10 inches in height,
cutting as close to the roots as possible without pulling up lumps of soil. Use
wheatgrass as soon after harvesting as possible. If necessary, cut wheatgrass
can be stored for up to 7 days in a covered container or plastic bag in the
refrigerator.
COMPOSTING USED WHEATGRASS MATS
After you have harvested wheatgrass from the trays once or twice (it will come
up several times as long as it is cut before it reaches the first jointing
stage—about seven inches tall), you will be left with a mat of roots and soil
that can easily be recycled into compost.
Composting is nature's way of building, improving, and maintaining the fertility
of soil. In the forest, fallen leaves and dead branches cover the earth, making
rich compost for the trees that continue to grow. In fact, everything that has
been taken from the soil to nourish growing plants must be returned to it
through decomposition of plant and animal matter if it is to continue to support
new growth. Compost is a mixture of ordinary soil and plant residues that have
been broken down into a rich humus by the microorganisms and worms in the soil.
The modern growing techniques used by agribusiness farmers often neglect to
replace trace elements and organic material that crops take out of the soil as
they grow. What little is put back most often comes in the form of synthetic
chemical fertilizers. After a tract of land has been farmed in this way for a
few years, its topsoil is depleted and it becomes a useless desert, barely able
to sustain weeds. Acres upon acres of land all over the world are being ruined
in this way every year.
Composting will prevent the problem of soil depletion in your indoor garden. It
is a way of restoring natural balance. It adds organic matter and enables soil
enzymes and organisms like the friendly earthworm to thrive and multiply,
enriching the soil and providing the plants grown on it with top-quality
nutrients. This is precisely the way nature has preserved plant life on earth
for centuries. On a large scale, it is the only way we can ensure that the soil
will be fertile enough to produce food for our children—and theirs.
An important worker in your compost pile is the earthworm, whose job it is to
digest organic matter and convert it into rich plant nutrients. Earthworm
castings are an extremely valuable source of nitrogen, minerals, and other
nutrients. The castings that are left behind after earthworms eat and digest the
soil contain five times more nitrogen, seven times more phosphate, and eleven
times more potassium than the original soil.
You can obtain earthworms from a compost pile or an old pile of leaves, or you
can buy some at any bait and tackle shop. Ask for red wigglers. A couple of
handfuls are sufficient to get an entire colony started. The earthworms will go
to work producing their weight in castings every twenty-four hours.
Composting Instructions
To get started with your home composting system you will need two or three empty
barrels with lids. Drill holes spaced at two-inch intervals all around the sides
of the barrels. Place a shallow container of some sort under each barrel.
Inverted flat trash can lids work well. It is best if this setup is supported an
inch or two off the ground, to allow air circulation underneath. A couple of
bricks will do nicely.
When you have harvested some wheatgrass, break up the mats into pieces and place
them in a layer in the bottom of the barrel. On top of this layer, spread some
vegetable scraps or pulp that has been ejected from your wheatgrass juicer.
Following the scraps, put in the earthworms, and cover them with another layer
of broken-up mats. (Store scraps and pulp in a sealed container until you have
enough mats to cover them.) As you harvest mats, repeat this layering technique,
only without adding any more earthworms, until the barrel is full. After each
layer is placed in the barrel, cover it with a lid. You can also mix in a
handful of lime per barrel if you wish to keep the soil slightly alkaline.
When the compost barrel is full, the decomposition of the mats and vegetable
matter intensifies. As long as the barrels are in a warm place, but out of
direct sunlight, the compost will develop into rich soil, ready for use in two
to three months. If you want to use your compost sooner, in one to two months,
remove the lid every week and stir up the contents of the barrel with a shovel.
This will expose the inside of the barrel to more oxygen, speeding up the rate
of decomposition of the contents.
You will know when the compost is ready by scooping out a shovelful and
examining it. If it is crumbly, dark, and without any bad odor or trace of
scraps, it is ready. To use the new compost for planting, mix it with 25 percent
peat moss.
Compost barrels can be kept in the basement, in a back hallway, on the porch, or
in a closet. Even better, purchase some attractive barrels with wheels and
tight-fitting lids, and keep them right in your kitchen where they are more
accessible. You don’t have to worry about any unpleasant odors using this easy
composting system. Properly composted earth has a pleasant, woodsy smell.
If more than a few drops of moisture collect under the barrel, the compost is
probably too moist. To eliminate any odor that develops, sprinkle a couple of
handfuls of lime into the pile, mix it up with a shovel, sprinkle some more lime
on the top layer, and cover. To avoid this pitfall, cover scraps totally with
mats and avoid adding freshly watered mats to the can.
Instead, let them dry out until they are moist, but not wet, and cover the
surface with a handful of lime.
Composting Instructions Check List
The main points of my easy composting system are reviewed below:
• Obtain 2 or 3 barrels and drill holes spaced 2 inches apart all around.
• Place broken-up mats in the bottom of a barrel, followed by kitchen scraps and
juicer pulp, a few earthworms, and another layer of broken-up mats to cover.
When you have additional mats, repeat the layers, without adding more worms, but
instead adding a handful of lime (if desired), until the barrel is full. Always
re-cover the barrel.
• Let the barrel sit for 2-3 months, at which time your compost will be ready to
be mixed with 25 percent peat moss for planting. To speed the composting
process, you can stir up the contents of the barrel each week so that the
compost will be ready 1 or 2 months later.
If you regularly maintain an outdoor compost pile using a method without animal
manures, you may add your mats to it instead. But during the winter months you
will be better off if you have a ready supply of compost and a few barrels in
progress indoors. At the Hippocrates Institute we send our compost every year or
two to our mini-farm in exchange for a fresh supply. The old compost is placed
in the gardens, and is reconditioned by the elements. Such a rotation is ideal,
as the soil will eventually need to be exposed to the air, rain, and sun, if it
is to stay healthy and balanced.
JUICING WHEATGRASS
Since wheatgrass is so fibrous, and its fiber is indigestible by humans, we
always use it juiced. You could use your teeth to juice the grass by chewing it
and spitting out the pulp, but to get several ounces by this method would wear
out your jaw, and your patience! It is far better to purchase a slow-turning
juicer made especially for juicing sprouts, greens, soft vegetables, and
wheatgrass. Both hand-crank and electric units are available. I recommend the
electric model, as to get several ounces of juice using a hand unit is tiring
and takes a lot longer. The hand units tend to wind up collecting dust on the
closet shelf much more often than the electric models do.
With your electric juicer on, merely place a bunch of cut wheatgrass, about
two-thirds of an inch in diameter, tip down into the hole at the top. The juicer
will do the rest. A few drops of juice will come out of the front of the juicer,
followed by the pulp. The juice itself will come out of the spout on the bottom
of the machine. I like to run the pulp through the juicer two or more times to
get as much juice out of it as possible. After each use, be sure to take your
juicer apart and wash and dry all the parts with a mild, non-detergent soap.
An entire 10" x 14" tray of fully mature wheatgrass will produce between seven
and ten ounces of wheatgrass juice, depending on the length of the grass and its
moisture content. As wheatgrass juice is very volatile, it should be used within
twelve hours. With practice, you will learn how much grass to harvest for each
use.
If you do not wish to invest in an electric wheatgrass juicer, but still want to
use wheatgrass juice, you can try running the grass through a meat grinder
(which costs about as much as a hand juicer), and squeeze the mashed pulp
through a piece of cheesecloth to extract the juice. However, if you are serious
about improving your health, an electric juicer is essential equipment.
Unlike high-speed vegetable juicers, which grind fresh foods and separate the
juice from them, a wheatgrass juicer squeezes the juice out slowly. In this way
it is able to extract 50 to 98 percent more juice from wheatgrass, greens,
sprouts, or soft vegetables than any high-speed machine can. A wheat- grass
juicer will be used in extracting fruit and vegetable juices and "green drinks"
made from sprouts, greens, and vegetables, which you will need if you wish to
perform a wheatgrass fast. The best, and perhaps only, way to purchase a
wheatgrass juicer is through the mail (see the Appendix for more information).
If you should have any further questions about setting up an indoor gardening
system, or any problems following these instructions, don't hesitate to call the
Institute and speak to one of our experts. Better yet, come and stay for the
two-week course, and learn by doing while you’re here.
Chapter 8 -
The Many Uses of Wheatgrass
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