Update on growing Wheat Grass and Juicing

(Please read more recent version first at https://ranjan.in?p=74)

Since I posted last on this topic, I have gained more knowledge and it is about time to write on this again. I would itemize them to make it easier to read:

• Reusing Soil – I found that when I used soil first time, wheat grew nicely. But I started to see failed growth when I tried to reuse the soil. It was most likely due to my zero knowledge about gardening. Finally I could figure it out with the help of friends and nursery. After harvesting first time, one needs to add some nutrients to the soil since with limited soil in pot (or tray), it needs to be supplemented. In my local nursery they gave a product called “BioField”, which is produced in Baroda. I was asked to add about 7-8 table spoons to soil every 7 days. So now after harvesting I sprinkle few spoons of BioField+compost and plant regrows healthy and fast. After harvesting three times, I remove the plant and let the soil air for 3-4 days to allow it to gain capacity through nitrogen fixation. Here is the image of the packet of 1 Kg of BioField, which costs Rs 60. They seem to have larger package of 50 Kg only, which is little too large to handle. Would have been nice to have 5 Kg packets as well. I am not sure how wide is their distribution channel but you may be able to find something similar in your local nursery:

• Organizing pots(or trays) – In the early stage, I purchased round pots and then bigger rectangular pots. However slowly I started filling up balcony space and in no time I started to hear complains! Then I bought plastic trays (I got 10 of them at Rs 40 each). I also purchased a steel rack with 4 shelves to organize the trays as shown in the image below:
  

Now I find it very easy to handle the tray as they are much lighter and can be organized nicely as well as moved around, if needed. I plan to buy couple of big trays to let the used soil air in them. I also use the tray to cover the germinating seeds in earlier stage.

• Juicer – I am yet to find the right kind of wheat juicer. I got one from eBay(they never claimed it to be for wheat juice but I took a chance) but it is too fragile for juicing wheat grass. I provided details to the vendor and also some Chinese company details He said that once he is able to locate a supplier, he would be in touch with me. Meat-mincers are capable of juicing wheat grass as well but one needs to have some mechanism to collect juice. If any one finds the right one in India, please inform!

Author: Prabhat Ranjan

Prof. Prabhat Ranjan is Vice Chancellor, D Y Patil International University, Akurdi, Pune. He was heading India's Technology Think Tank, TIFAC(tifac.org.in) as its Executive Director since April 2013 to April 2018. Earlier he was Professor at Dhirubhai Ambani Institute for Information and Communication Technology, Gandhinagar (DA-IICT) since 2002. He was educated in Netarhat School(near Ranchi), IIT Kharagpur and Delhi University. He received his Ph D from University of California, Berkeley where he carried our research on “Nuclear Fusion” at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory during 1983-86. He immediately returned to India after this and carried out research in Nuclear Fusion area at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Calcutta and Institute for Plasma Research(IPR), Gandhinagar. He played a major role in India’s Nuclear Fusion program and was Project Leader of the largest operational Indian Fusion Reactor, ADITYA, at Institute for Plasma Research from 1996-2002. His current interests include applications of Wireless Sensor Network to Wildlife, Planetary Exploration (Chandrayaan mission), Nuclear Fusion, Healthcare, Agriculture etc. He has received National Science Talent Search Award, IBM Faculty Innovation Grant and HP Innovate 2009 award, NPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Award 2012, Bihar Gaurav Samman 2012 etc. View all posts by Prabhat Ranjan