Need some advice with Wheat Grass

[Leone]

Okay. Here is what is happening.

I grew some wheatgrass in the house in my new Tribest Wheatgrass Grower. It was fun and worked great. The only problem I had was fruit flies. They really seem to love the wheatgrass and it is a perfect breeding ground for them.

So... we decided to set the trays on the back porch and get rid of the flies in the house.

Now we have roaches, ants, and fruit flies.

What do you experienced growers recommend?

[DebB]

I grow my wheatgrass in small 8"x8" from Hippocrates - I grow in dirt. I did have gnats one time and they came from the soil I was using. Are you growing in soil?

I now keep a little (less than $10) fan blowing on low on my wheatgrass tray/s for air circulation. This helps with the mold issue as well & fruit flies & gnats do not like the moving air either. My WG trays grow in my kitchen.

I've never had a problem with roaches or ants in my wheatgrass. My biggest 'problem' has been mold - but since using the Hippocrates method of growing (I've got their DVD), that has really helped. Plus, I'm trying something new for mold control - the tray I'm growing right now, I did not cover the sprouted planted seeds for 3 days like Hipp. reccomends. I found that when I uncovered them, ready to set in the sunlight, there was already mold growing. Now I plant and scoot the whole tray under my Hoosier cabinet where it's semi-dark and leave them there for 3 days out of the sun & ofcourse keep them moist daily during this time. *Ü*

[Leone]

Thanks for the reply DebB.

I am not using soil. Just rinsing with water.

My husband and I came up with a plan to make a hanging cover for the wheatgrass. That should keep any little critters away! Once we have it made I will post a picture. We ordered the supplies today, so maybe next week.

Mold has been a problem for me as well. It is humid here in Tennessee and mold develops quickly. The fan is a nice idea. I am hoping that the little breezes we get will help. I especially like the idea of not covering the sprouts for the first 3 days but keeping them in a semi dark area. I will try that and see what happens. Starting a new batch tonight, so we will see.

Thanks again for your suggestions. We are really enjoying the wheatgrass juice, but want to come up with some solutions to the problems along the way.

[DebB]

You're sure welcome Leone - it's a learning experience and I'm always trying something new. I've admired the tray setup you have ever since I saw Steve Myerowitz (sp) demo it on a YouTube video.

Good idea about keeping your trays covered to keep out the critters. We had to put bird netting over most of our garden this year, so I know what you're dealing with. Those tender shoots are too yummy to pass by!

I popped my tray out from under the cabinet today and into the sun. There was mold, but a lot less than when I kept it covered. I used to cover it with another 8x8 tray, inverted. There are drain holes, but it just didn't get enough air flow. I don't know how they keep the mold at bay because I think Hippocrates is in Florida... *Ü*

[Leone]

I put my new tray of wheat sprouts in the oven! It's a nice dark place for them to start. So far (16 hrs.) no mold. That's nice. I usually have mold by now if they are covered.

I think I will flip the breaker to make sure nobody turns on the oven!

[Arky]

According to Michael Bergonzi (quoted in Steve Meyerowitz's book 'Wheatgrass Nature's Finest Medicine', p.170), "...flies show up when there is mold present. ...If you want to rid your wheatgrass of flies, increase your air circulation to get rid of the mold. Flies like warm air and no airflow."

I always grow my wheat/barley/oat grass outside now because I had too many problems with unhealthy grass when growing it indoors. Even if you have no garden, window boxes might be an option for you. Cereal grasses are notoriously prone to mold.

If you still can't avoid mold, then try sourcing your seeds from a different supplier and be sure to get them as fresh as possible, to minimise the level of microscopic mold spores on the surface of the seeds themselves. I've found that growing in soil is very helpful (soil naturally avoids 'pooling' of water around seeds, unless the soil is waterlogged), as is taking care to not water too frequently or too heavily. I avoid direct sunlight and, more than anything else, I take care to NOT spread my seed thickly (way too many people recommend spreading seed very thickly so as to 'maximise yield from each tray', but this is a completely false economy. The grass stems need airflow, which they can't get if they're grown too densely together).

Some folks soak their seeds in hydrogen peroxide or GSE but this shouldn't be necessary for good results if the above factors are taken into consideration, and provided the seed itself is not overly contaminated with mold spores to begin with.

Good luck!

[big foot marty]

I have found that using 30-40% soil with moss nd vermiculite limits mold thus limiting flies.

I also grow microgreens in the same area and have seen the same wotrk there.

I have 4 small fruit fly traps with vinegar....Just in case

[MyRedPanda]

I have a Tribest sprouter and have never had this problem. Are you changing the water daily?

[Leone]

I kept my new batch of wheatgrass in the oven for 3 days. No mold that I could see this time. Unfortunately the flies found it there though.

I have only been using water and spraying it with a squirt bottle. Then, when the grass is about an inch long I have been rinsing it with the hose outside. After that I drain out all the water that I can, put it back on the shelf, and leave it outside.

I am going to start another batch tonight and try the soil method. Also, I will use less seeds to get more air flow.

Some of my supplies came today for the new cover I plan to make. Hopefully that will help as well.

My grass is only growing about 4 or 5 inches tall before it starts to look yellowish on the tips. Hummm.... maybe using the soil will help.

Thanks again for your suggestions!

[DebB]

I wonder if you got fruit flies in the oven if the fly eggs are already on the wheat. An oven is sealed and I don't know how the flies would actually get in there?

About the mold -- my research has all said that the mold is 'okay' - just cut the grass above it and give the cut wheatgrass a blast to knock any of it off. That's what I do. I think I've only ever had 1-2 trays that were completely mold free. Right now I'm actually growing kamut. *Ü*