Does anyone know how to grow wheatgrass?

[dreamcatcher]

I would like to add wheatgrass to my morning healthshake. It is very expensive to buy from Whole foods. I have found seeds but am not having luck with the grow in jar method on the package. Would love some ideas!

[Priswell]

We have been growing wheatgrass off and on for years. You generally don't "sprout" the wheatgrass (although the first step is sprouting) as much as plant it and grow it. Here's how:

Trips to the store: You need to go to the health food store and get hard winter wheat kernels. Don't get "soft" wheat. You can buy it in premeasured bags or loose. Get about 3 cups worth to start. You will also need to go to a store that sells those plastic trays that they use at Burger King type restaurants. Restaurant supply stores sell them. Get a stack of about 12 of them. You can grow your wheatgrass right in the ground or in something other than the trays, but the tray method really is easier.
Prepare the wheat: Soak about 3/4 cup of wheat in about 2 cups of water overnight. In the morning drain off and rinse. Let sit on counter for about 24-36 hours, but be sure to rinse them and drain them twice a day.
Prepare your trays: Take 2 trays and fill them with soil. You can use plain dirt that is free of debris, compost, or potting soil to start out with. The wheatgrass gurus use 25% peat moss in their trays, which is good, but not absolutely necessary. Fill the trays with about an inch of moist, but not wet soil. Level it out reasonably evenly. Spread your wheat kernels on top of the soil. The wheat doesn't mind being crammed together, but they don't really care to be piled up so keep them in one layer. Cover each tray with another clean tray, covering them and providing a warm (about 65-75 degrees F), humid atmosphere. In about 2-3 days, your grass will be pushing off their covering trays. Remove them and put your wheatgrass near a window that receives plenty of light but not direct sun. Keep the soil moist but not soggy by spraying with water. Over watering is one of the causes of white mold. The wheatgrass should be ready in about another 3 days or so when it's about 7" high. After you cut, you can get another growth of wheatgrass, but it won't taste as good. The second cutting is better for topical applications than drinking. Store cut, unused wheatgrass a wrapped in a moist kitchen towel placed in a plastic bag kept in the fridge.
After 2 or 3 cuttings, your sod will be spent. Get a barrel or a plastic bucket and place your dried out, spent sod in it upside down. After you've got a few mats in there, moisten them and throw in some red earthworms. In time, they will compost your mats back into reusable soil. After the worms have worked it over, your compost will be in better shape than when you put it in. See Vermicomposting - How to Raise Earthworms for more information on using worms for composting.

[maddragoon]

i work in a food distribution warehouse that supplies to Jamba Juice (health food chain) and they use living wheat grass in their products. basicly what we have is a open top cardboard box lined with plastic wrap in the bottom with 5 to 6 inches of sod growing in it. there doesnt appear to be any substrate or mesh or anything that the seeds feed off of just a mass of roots and plants. the only thing i can come up with is they dose the seeds real good with fertilzer and water.