How to Grow Wheatgrass Hydroponically

Quick answer

Wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum) reaches first cut in 7–10 days from seed at pH 6.0, EC 0.8, DLI 10–12, and air 18–24 °C. The classic juice-bar crop — dense green tray of young wheat shoots for chlorophyll-rich juice. Best on hemp mats or coco coir in 1020 trays.

Conditions

Parameter	Value
pH	5.5–6.5 (6.0 ideal)
EC	0.4–1.0 mS/cm
Air temp	18–24 °C
Water temp	18–22 °C
Humidity	50–60% (drier better)
DLI	10–12 mol/m²/day
Photoperiod	16 h
Spacing	dense, ~3 cm
Days to harvest	7–10
Yield/tray	~200–400 g per 1020 tray

Why wheatgrass is unique among "microgreens"

Wheatgrass isn't technically a microgreen in the culinary sense — it's a juicing crop. Three differences from broccoli or radish microgreens:

• Tougher fiber. Wheatgrass shoots have cellulose-rich stems that aren't pleasant to eat directly. Juicing is the standard.
• Bulk product. A full 1020 tray harvested at once yields 200–400 g of grass — substantially more biomass than delicate microgreens.
• Specialized juicer. Regular blenders don't handle wheatgrass well. A masticating juicer (Omega, Tribest) or dedicated wheatgrass juicer is needed.

The workflow

Standard 1020-tray microgreen process, fast cycle:

1. Soak wheat berries 12–24 hours. Drain.
2. Spread densely on damp hemp mat — about 200 g of seed per 1020 tray.
3. Dark phase: 2–3 days under another tray.
4. Light phase: 5–7 days.
5. Harvest at day 7–10 when shoots are 15–20 cm tall.

Variety / strain picks

• Hard red winter wheat — standard for wheatgrass. Vigorous growth.
• Soft white wheat — also works, slightly sweeter.
• Kamut (khorasan wheat) — ancient grain, produces similar wheatgrass.
• Spelt — works, produces similar shoots.

Buy untreated wheat berries from a bulk grain or sprouting seed supplier.

Light and temperature

• Air 18–24 °C.
• DLI 10–12.
• Photoperiod 16 hours.
• Humidity 50–60%. Wheatgrass mold-prone if too humid.

Nutrients

Wheatgrass grows almost entirely from seed reserves. Most growers use only water. If supplementing, dilute nutrient at 0.4–0.6 EC after the dark phase.

Common problems

• Mold on mat surface — humidity too high or seeding too dense. Reduce both.
• Yellowing shoots — insufficient light.
• Sour smell — anaerobic, too wet.
• Weak, thin grass — insufficient density (yes, opposite of mold problem — dense competition produces stronger shoots).

Harvest and juicing

Cut at media line with sharp scissors when shoots are 15–20 cm tall. Use immediately or refrigerate 2–3 days (wheatgrass loses chlorophyll content fast).

For juicing:

1. Wash grass.
2. Feed small bundles through a masticating juicer.
3. Drink immediately — wheatgrass juice oxidizes within 15 minutes.

A 1020 tray produces 30–60 mL of juice — one "shot" per tray.

Commercial production

Wheatgrass juice retails at $3–5 per ounce at juice bars. A 1020 tray costs $0.50–1.00 to produce and yields 1–2 oz of juice. The margin supports juice-bar economics.

For home production: 2 trays per week on rotation gives 4–8 oz of wheatgrass juice weekly — sufficient for one person's daily shot.

See also

• Microgreen broccoli
• Buckwheat microgreens
• Sunflower microgreens
• Ebb and flow