How to Grow Wheat grass

Wheatberries

The whole process from sprouting to harvesting takes about a week.  First, you need to buy some winter wheat berries (or hard wheat berries), preferably organic! Go to any good health food store with bulk supplies. They are a reddish, hard grain.
Rinse the wheat berries then place them in a wide-mouth jar or a bowl and cover them with water. Cover the bowl with a towel or cheesecloth and let sit overnight (12 hours). Rinse the wheat berries then let them remain damp (a wet paper towel on top of them can help) for the next 12 hours. Rinse them at least once during this period. If it is very hot and therefore bacterial growth is a concern, add a drop of bleach to the water you originally soak the wheat berries in (1 tsp bleach per gallon of water is a general guideline).
After this 24 hour period you will see that the wheat berries have begun to sprout. Now you’ll want to “plant” your wheat berries. I use special flats to do this. They are plastic square containers with small holes for drainage. Most good nurseries can supply you with one. You can also use plastic cafeteria trays or pie pans, but the container should be very shallow, and it is best if you can add some small drainage holes. Add about 1 inch of soil (a 50:50 mixture of top soil and peat moss is best) and make it flat and even. Add your sprouted wheat berries and spread them into a flat, single layer. Sprinkle a tiny bit of water (don’t over water or you’ll get moldy seeds!). You can either cover this tray or place the tray in a dark closet (this mimics the period in nature when the seed is under the ground).
After about two days the seeds will have hearty stalks of grass sprouting from them. You can now let them be exposed to the sun (but make sure it has shade).

Flats for growing wheatgrass

Water the flat then let it grow for another 4 or 5 days. Voila! Fresh wheatgrass for a handful of change (1 lb of berries is about 80¢ and makes a flat).
Cut the grass with scissors and feed it to your birds.
You should start another flat right away, since wheatgrass is best on its first growth so should not be used again. You can use the second-growth grass as compost (some people do use the second growth, then compost the remainder).
Feeding Wheatgrass
Like all things, don’t go overboard. Wheatgrass is high in iron so you don’t want to overload your birds’ diet with it.  Three to four times a week is sufficient, and just a handful of grass is enough each time. Cut the grass about an inch up from the seed and serve. There is no need to worry about the grass spoiling in the cage, another great benefit of this green food.  If you are concerned about bacteria or mold at the base of the grass, after cutting, soak the grass in a quart of water with 5 drops of grapefruit seed extract for 5 minutes, rinse thoroughly, then serve.
Troubleshooting
My wheat berries won’t sprout, or only a few sprout.
The problem could be old, “dead” seeds that have been sitting on a grocery store shelf for to long. Try to buy at health food stores that supply bulk seeds and grains and refresh their supplies on a regular basis.
My wheatgrass has some moldy areas around the roots.
The problem could be overwatering. Water only enough to give moisture, not so that mold can grow. If you are worried about mold and bacteria that you cannot see, cut the grass about 1 inch up from the seed/roots; soak the grass in a solution of water and 5-10 drops of grapefruit seed extract for 5 minutes. Rinse the grass thoroughly, then serve.
My wheatgrass is limp and droopy.
The problem could be too much sun. Wheatgrass grows best in indirect light, under the shade of a tree or the like.

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A special note for skeptics and those who dismiss anything that does not come encased in a gelatin capsule or does not require a medical prescription…

Who has studied the effects of young grasses in vivo or in vitro?   Yoshide Hagiwara, MD; Tsuneo Kada (Japan Research Center of Genetics); Dr. Chiu-Nan Lai (University of Texas); Dr. Arthur Robinson (Linus Pauling Institute); Dr. Thelma Arthur (Arthur Testing Laboratory); Dr. Yasuo Hotta (University of California, San Diego). This is only a partial listing of scientists studying the effects of young grasses.  Below are references from the world biomedical literature (much of it from peer-reviewed medical journals) on the effects of phytochemicals and chlorophyll-related compounds.
Remember, wheatgrass is not a drug or herb. It is a living food. By harvesting and juicing the grass, then drinking it immediately, you are ingesting a very live, nutritious green juice. The American Cancer Society and the National Institute of Cancer advice all of us to increase the number of green vegetables in our diet. One ounce of wheatgrass juice can make a significant difference in your diet. It is accepted fact that green foods are nutritious and have both antimutagenic and antigenotoxic benefits. The nutritional analysis of wheatgrass is scientific fact. Put two and two together, and it is not difficult to see why this is such a beneficial food for your diet as well as your birds.
Much of this information I learned from a grower at my Farmers’ Market and from the bible of wheatgrass: “The Wheatgrass Book” by Ann Wigmore, which is available in the Parrot-Parrot Book Store and contains much more detailed information; it is a must in any sprouter’s library!