I soak my seed
in a bucket that has holes which is set inside a bucket without holes.
(Actually, it's a pair of empty plastic ice cream containers.) You want
your water level twice that of the seed. Rinse your seed well before
leaving to soak. The water should be clear. The next day, give the seed a
very good rinse and then spread onto the tray. Below is a picture of a
set of trays seeded with wheat which is a few days old and just
beginning to sprout some green. Wheat grows pretty well and is less
likely to mold than barley, (and can be grown at higher temperatures)
but barley grows a thicker leaf than wheat so that's what I like when
it's available. I gather up my trays in the morning and give them a good
rinse in the sink (the tray with holes is nested inside a tray without
holes....) and then set back on the shelf. If in doubt, it's better to
water too little than too much. You do NOT want water to sit in the
trays. Pour out the extra water after rinsing! The seeds themselves hold
enough water to grow and usually only need a rinse once or twice a day.
You want the seeds moist inside but not overly wet on the outside for
very long or you encourage mold. I have my trays next to a window for
light. In the middle of winter when it gets dark really early, I have a
fluorescent light that turns on with a timer.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/713334/growing-fodder-for-chickens
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/713334/growing-fodder-for-chickens
No comments:
Post a Comment