The purpose of this step:
So, I finally got to the point where it's time to harvest! My wheatgrass has grown to the actual length; scissors and juicer are in the right place, ready to start.
When should I harvest wheatgrass?
I start to sprout wheat seeds, not for only one planting tray, but three of them at once. And I start harvesting when the wheatgrass sprouts are 6 inches long. Then, the next day, I harvest shoots in a second tray, growing to 6.5-7 inches. And on the third day, I take a third tray, which is 7-7.5 inches.
By the next day, I have three other trays of wheatgrass ready to harvest. So every morning, I have rich green wheatgrass sprouts full of chlorophyll, which is what I need.
Pay attention to this again! The richer the green, the more chlorophyll. The healthier the shoots look, the more minerals, amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes you will receive in the shot. If sprouts have started to turn yellow, bottom and top of the shoots, there are two reasons for this.
I analyzed this issue in more detail in this article: Why is my wheat grass turning yellow?
Where do you cut wheatgrass?
Cut off wheatgrass shoots about 1 inch above the soil surface, do not touch the soil. There are some reasons for this.
First, the bottom part of the shoot is lighter; there is juice, vitamins, but not so much chlorophyll. It's like with any other plant, there is a trunk, and there are leaves. What's the point of eating/drinking a trunk? Second, if you suddenly got fungus in the tray, avoid getting it into the body, do not cut the shoots close to the soil surface. Even if you can't see it, the fungus is most likely on the seeds or the soil.
Do not be greedy, do not cut off close to the soil! )) Ours is what is the greenest, what is juicy, and the sweetest!
Should I wash wheatgrass?
If wheatgrass grows on a windowsill or a shelf like in my mine case, then I don't see much sense in washing wheatgrass before consuming. Also, if the seeds on the soil or the soil itself are not infected with fungus, you do not need to waste time washing the clean wheatgrass shoots. But if wheatgrass grows outdoors, even if it's just a small home garden, then, of course, I would consider washing the grass before making juice.
Yes, the house is also dusty. But using a spray bottle for watering every day, flowing down water removes that little house dust from the sprouts perfectly.
In my opinion, there is no reason to wash wheatgrass grown at home.
What is the best way to juice wheatgrass?
There are two ways to make juice from wheatgrass: a cold-pressed screw juicer and a blender. If you use a cold press juicer, the wheatgrass juice is pure. If you use a blender, you will mix the juice with water. And to be honest, the juicer will squeeze out more fluid than you can make with a blender.
But if you have only a blender, it ok. I will show you how even with a blender, to squeeze the juice from wheatgrass shoots.
Do I need a special juicer for wheatgrass?
A special juicer for making fresh juice from wheatgrass sprouts is a cold-pressed juicer. But everybody calls it a manual wheatgrass juicer. Here's just an example of this kind of wheatgrass juicer.
Generally speaking, you can use this juicer to make fresh juice from fruits and vegetables as well. But to be honest, I don't understand why someone squeezes juice from an apple or a carrot, for example. Fiber also is beneficial. Plus, when you eat raw vegetables and fruits, you massage your gums, essential for healthy teeth.
But with wheatgrass a little bit different. The fact is that wheatgrass fiber, or any other grass, is very tough. And chewing it is somehow not very comfortable. A human cannot belch and chew grass several times like a cow. So that is why squeezing out juice from the wheatgrass is the best way to get everything most beneficial for the human body. What about fiber for me? I take it from green cocktails, which I also consume almost every day. But we will talk about it next time.
How to juice wheatgrass with a juicer?
After cutting off wheatgrass shoots, I mentally divide all grass into four parts. You need to take a small bunch of the grass and put it into the juicer. It's elementary, take some grass, put it in a juicer and spin the handle))
The manual cold press juicer has a screw shaft. In the beginning, the screw shaft cut the grass, then smash it, then fine crush, squeeze and grind the grass. And as a result, through the front holes, a liquid of stunning rich green color will start to flow, bringing energy and health to all living creations in the world.
When you push a bunch of grass into the juicer, the grass can get stuck somewhere in the beginning. You'll spin the handle, but the grass will be in the same place. You can resolve this problem by turning the handle a couple of times in the opposite direction. And then again in the right one.
I described how to work correctly with this kind of wheatgrass juicer in more detail in this short article: Hurricane Manual Wheatgrass Juicer.
Tip: To avoid this situation when grass gets stuck, do not let it go right away. Hold it and press a little by the side of the juicer, releasing the bunch of wheatgrass little by little. But NEVER put your fingers deeply; it will hurts a lot. Try this method, and you will succeed. Practice makes perfect!
I want to tell you, do not squeeze the wheatgrass twice. I mean, do not squeeze wheatgrass pulp, you may squeeze out a dozen drops, but this is not easy. You do not need to do some extra work, not worth the effort. Although you can try once so that you never waste time on this again!
How can I eat wheatgrass without a juicer?
Don't have a manual or electric wheatgrass juicer yet? Not a big deal; you can use a blender. The procedure is uncomplicated:
- Cut off the wheatgrass shoots;
- Put them in a blender;
- Add some clean drinking water;
- Blend just long enough;
- Pour into a strainer or towel;
- Squeeze out the liquid into a glass or small bowl;
- Enjoy your juice!
The main difference from the first way is that your will mix wheatgrass juice with the water. Well, in my opinion, the second way is a bit more complicated; you'll wash more things after juicing.
And to be honest, the blender should not be regular. It must be a high-powered blender, which means it has to be a high-speed blender for a more effective result to crush tough wheatgrass fiber. The higher the blades' rotation speed, the more wheatgrass juice is released into the water.
This process is described in more detail in this short article: How to juice wheatgrass without a juicer.
At the end of Step 5:
It makes no sense to write something else already. The juice is already squeezed out, and you are ready to drink it.
The taste of wheatgrass juice depends on some things:
- what kind of wheat seeds you will use;
- in what way you will sprout and plant them;
- how you will grow your sprouts, will there be enough light and water;
- when you will cut off the wheatgrass shoots;
- and also in what way you will squeeze the juice.
In my case, the wheatgrass juice has unusual bright and rich sweetness!
Bon Appetite!
