Wheatgrass and Mold Growth - Indoor vs. Outdoor Growing

Wheatgrass and Mold Growth – Indoor vs. Outdoor Growing.

In my experience, the biggest, and possibly the only drawback to growing indoor wheatgrass at home is the threat of mold growth. While it is said that occasional patches of mold on the seed bed is harmless, I am not so sure I agree with this school of thought, and I would much prefer wheatgrass plants that are completely mold-free.

The yuck factor.

I came to this conclusion by drinking wheatgrass juice that I had harvested from a plant with a little bit of visible mold. I cut the wheatgrass well above the mold, of course. However, the taste was awful.

My wheatgrass juice usually has a mellow, earthy, honey-dew flavor – not bad at all. This stuff nearly triggered a gag reflex. And worse yet, it actually made me feel queasy.

Mother Nature rules.

Outdoor growers of wheatgrass have been addressing the problem of mold occurrence on indoor wheatgrass, and they make some valid points. After all, when it comes to nutrition, as a rule, natural is better. And outdoor grown wheatgrass is not moldy, because it is grown as nature intended.

While I have not personally tasted outdoor grown wheatgrass juice, everything I have read about it makes perfect sense to me. In fact, outdoor grown wheatgrass juice may be a viable option for wheatgrass supplementation. The juice of outdoor grown wheatgrass is flash frozen in airtight, serving sized containers, and is available for purchase online.

Why I choose indoor wheatgrass:

As I continue to grow, use and share my own indoor grown wheatgrass, I remain interested in the idea of outdoor grown wheatgrass. However, I still believe that nothing beats live-plant-supplementation, which means utilizing the freshest possible harvest.

Staving off mold.

Throughout my journey as a wheatgrass grower and enthusiast, eradicating mold has become very important to me. Here’s how I stave off mold growth:

Serving sized containers.

Merely utilizing a smaller surface area of grass goes a long way towards creating an environment conducive to mold-free growth. Also, serving size (2-shot) containers make harvesting neat and clean, alleviating the messy look of partially harvested flats of grass.

With serving sized flats, all remaining plants remain intact, and can be advantageously placed throughout living spaces, as table centerpieces, air purifying sleep aids on bedside tables, pet treats for designated pet areas, or just about anywhere that looks nice.

Temperature control.

When the temperature drops, or rises, take steps to maintain a constant, comfortable room temperature in your growing area.

Air circulation.

If you are not using indoor temperature control, increased air circulation may be necessary. Depending on the climate you live in, you may need to use a fan from time to time.

Don’t over-water.

If wheatgrass is planted in container without drainage holes, over-watering can lead to mold growth.

Stick with what works.

When optimal air temperature control, air-circulation, watering, and container size are constant, growing healthy, mold-free wheatgrass indoors is quite doable.

Once you start habitually growing and juicing wheatgrass on a regular schedule, the elements of keeping your growing environment constant should naturally fall into place.

Happy growing!