If you're looking for a simple and healthy way to enrich your diet and add a touch of freshness to your dish or drink, there's nothing better than wheatgrass microgreens. These tiny sprouts, packed with nutrients and intense flavor, have become a popular choice among health-conscious food lovers. In this article, we'll explore the fundamental steps to grow wheatgrass microgreens easily and effectively, allowing you to enjoy these little green wonders in just a few weeks.

Read more about Wheatgrass’ health benefits in our earlier article: Link

 
Nutritional Richness: Wheatgrass microgreens are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, and iron, which are vital for health. Regular consumption can provide your body with a variety of important nutrients.
 
Ease of Growth: Wheatgrass microgreens are easy to grow at home, requiring minimal space and specialized equipment. They can be grown on a windowsill or in a small container, making them accessible to everyone, even those without a garden.

Culinary Versatility: Wheatgrass microgreens add a touch of freshness and intense flavor to a variety of dishes and beverages. They can be used to garnish salads, sandwiches, main dishes, or even added to smoothies and juices to boost their nutritional value.

Sustainability: Growing your own wheatgrass microgreens can help reduce the environmental impact associated with the production and transportation of commercial foods. Additionally, it can promote a more sustainable and environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Health benefits of Wheatgrass Microgreens

Boosts Immunity: The high concentration of vitamins and antioxidants in wheatgrass microgreens can help strengthen the immune system, making the body more resilient to infections and diseases.

Supports Detoxification: Wheatgrass contains chlorophyll, a natural detoxifier, which helps cleanse the body of toxins and supports liver health. Consuming wheatgrass microgreens regularly can aid in the body's natural detoxification processes.

Improves Digestion: Wheatgrass microgreens are rich in dietary fiber, which promotes healthy digestion and prevents constipation. Fiber also supports the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, improving overall digestive health.

Supports Weight Management: Wheatgrass microgreens are low in calories and high in nutrients, making them a great addition to a weight-loss or weight-management diet. The fiber content also helps promote feelings of fullness, reducing overall calorie intake.

Promotes Healthy Skin and Hair: The antioxidants in wheatgrass microgreens help protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals, leading to healthier, more radiant skin. Additionally, the nutrients in wheatgrass can promote hair growth and strengthen hair follicles.

If you're ready to embark on an exciting healthy and tasty journey, keep reading as we unveil the secrets to growing these miniature wonders.

Wheatgrass Microgreens Overview

Must-Have Tools for Growing Wheatgrass Microgreens

Essential Materials:

• Seeds: High-quality Wheatgrass seeds are essential for successful cultivation. Explore our seeds selection here.
• Trays/Containers: You will need two trays—one deep tray with drainage holes to create an optimal growing environment, and another tray without holes to be placed underneath to catch excess water. Check out our selection here.
• Growing medium: Choose a nutrient-rich growing medium such as seed-starting mix or coconut coir to support healthy growth.
• Lighting: Ensure your microgreens receive optimal lighting for robust growth. While natural sunlight is effective, for enhanced results, we recommend our T5 LED Microgreen Grow Lights. Engineered with a 6500K spectrum, these lights are precisely tailored to provide the ideal light spectrum for growing microgreens, guaranteeing optimal growth and health.
• Spray Bottle: A sprayer bottle is necessary for maintaining proper moisture levels during germination and growth.

Optional Materials:

• Humidity Dome: Use a humidity dome to create a moist environment during the germination stage, aiding in successful seed sprouting and early growth. Explore our selection of humidity domes here.
• Rack Cooling Fan: Enhance air circulation and regulate temperature for optimal growth conditions with our rack cooling fan. Additionally, you can control the fan speed using the fan speed controller, allowing for precise adjustment according to your specific needs.
• LCD Digital Thermometer Hygrometer: Monitor indoor temperature and humidity levels using our LCD digital thermometer hygrometer. This tool provides valuable insights into the growing environment, ensuring conditions are optimal for your microgreens' development.

Step-by-Step Growth Process

Now that we have all the necessary materials and information to grow wheatgrass microgreens, here is the step-by-step guide to growing them:

STEP 1: Prepare Your 1020 Microgreen Deep Trays

Take the deep tray with holes and place the tray without holes underneath, so that they are stacked together. Begin by filling the upper tray with holes with soil until the surface is level and even - you can use a press or your hand to make the soil even and lightly fill any low areas.

STEP 2: Sow Your Seeds

Evenly spread the wheatgrass seeds across the surface. Water the surface using the spray bottle, and add some water to the bottom tray to keep the soil moist throughout.

STEP 3: Germination Stage

Given their natural preference for germinating underground, place another tray over the seeds to maintain darkness. Then add a weight, approximately 5kgs. Remarkably resilient, these seeds can collectively lift weights of up to 5 pounds. Note, that the extra weight helps develop a thicker and stronger stem and root growth.

STEP 4: Growing under T5 Artificial Intelligent Lighting 

Once the seeds have germinated, means that they are now at their next stage of growth: seedling. Remove the humidity dome from the top of the 1020 tray or retrieve your 1020 tray from your designated dark space, and place it under the light source - we recommend using T5 LED 6500K lights, providing sufficient lumens (1200-2200 lumens). Ensure that you also use a timer to program the amount of light your plants need. This will ensure they are able to photosynthesize throughout their lifecycle and deliver the high level of nutrition that your body thrives on.

The distance from your light source is also very important. If your light source is too far from your seedlings, they may become overly stretchy and thin. However, if the light is too close, they may not fully stretch beyond the top of your 1020 tray, making harvesting difficult and reducing yields. Therefore, we recommend that you place the top of your 1020 tray between 22-25cms from your growing lights.

Of course, if you live in a sunny location, you can certainly place your 1020 tray on the sunny-side of your house, such as on a window-sill or outside.

Temperatures should be similar to those in your germination room, but humidity levels will vary. As your seedlings continue to grow, they will not only require more space but will also continuously release moisture, increasing the relative humidity during the entire growing cycle. To reduce the chances of mold or similar quality issues, maintain your humidity level between 45-55% RH. There are relatively cheap, smart humidifiers available that help you maintain adequate RH. In addition, you can use a fan or ventilator to reduce moisture buildup and high humidity within your 1020  tray.

Watering is also crucial: when you notice that the soil is dry, make sure to water it from the bottom tray to allow the soil to absorb the water. This method is essential to keep the wheatgrass microgreens dry, thus preventing fungal issues, which tend to be more prevalent with this type of microgreens.

STEP 5: Harvesting

Your wheatgrass microgreens should have reached a height of approximately 15 centimeters (6 inches), indicating they are ready to harvest. To harvest, we recommend using a sharp pair of scissors to cut the grass just above the root joint or any remaining seed remnants.

STEP 6: EAT YOUR MICROGREENS and Storage

It's important to note that wheatgrass should not be consumed directly, as it can be toxic to humans. The mature leaves of wheat (from which wheatgrass juice is extracted) contain a substance called gliadin, which can be difficult to digest for some individuals and potentially cause adverse reactions, especially if consumed in large quantities.

However, wheatgrass juice obtained from young wheatgrass sprouts is considered safe for human consumption when prepared and consumed properly. Freshly extracted from tender wheatgrass sprouts, wheatgrass juice is often diluted and consumed in small amounts as a nutritional supplement for its alleged health benefits, including improvements in energy, digestion, and immunity.

Stored in this manner, wheatgrass can remain fresh for 3-4 days. It's advisable to use it as quickly as possible to enjoy its optimal flavor and nutritional benefits.

Microgreens tips

• Watering: Water the microgreens from the bottom tray to allow the soil to absorb the water.
• Monitoring: Use the optional LCD digital thermometer hygrometer to monitor temperature and humidity levels regularly. Adjust conditions as needed to maintain optimal growing conditions.
• Air Flow: Microgreens are densely seeded and therefore require airflow. Keep your microgreens in an area with good airflow. You can either keep it close to an open window or add a small rotating fan. Try to avoid keeping your microgreens in an enclosed space without any airflow.
• Waste & Recycling: If you are using soil, coconut coir or another biodegradable growing medium, simply start a compost bin or look for waste recycling centers, such as in the city of Amsterdam and Amstelveen where used soil is sorted and recycled. Note: If you want a quick tip to start your own compost, simply find a compost sack or container that easily fits your 1020 tray for smooth sailing. Once you have a few trays of composted soil, add worms from your surrounding area or find some tiger worms online. Within 3-4 months, you will have rich compost soil that you can use in your outdoor garden. We do not recommend using compost for microgreens, especially when growing indoors
• Hydrogen Peroxide Food Grade 3%: An effective natural cleaning agent used to sanitize and to ensure food safety. Can also be used sparingly when combating mold.
• Chef’s Tip: Most uncut or ‘live’ trays can be stored in a walk-in refrigerator for 1 - 2 weeks. Be sure to store them on the top rack to comply with food safety regulations. They will not continue to grow in the refrigerated walk-in but will stay alive and remain fresh until harvesting.

Growing wheatgrass microgreens is more than just a hobby; it's a rewarding way to bring freshness and nutrients into your daily life. With just a few steps and a bit of patience, you can transform a tiny seed into a powerful source of health and vitality.

Keywords: wheatgrass; microgreens; sprouts ; microgroenten ; healthy ; gezond ; how-to