Wheat Planting Manual
Create Your First Wheat2School Garden!
- What time of year is it?
In California, wheat planting season begins in October and harvesting happens in late May/ early June.
2. How are you going to plant the wheat?
There are many different ways you can grow wheat! Pot, small plot in the ground, garden box, or field! Click the link below to get more information about different plot sizes.
3. What Materials are Needed?
SOIL– any type, but for best results, it must include some nitrogen
WHEAT GRAINS/SEEDS – obtain wheat berries from health food stores, contact the California Wheat Commission, or your local university or wheat Commission for samples
PAPER CUPS - 4”- 6” planting pots or an outdoor growing plot
FERTILIZER - high in nitrogen (if planning to grow wheat to full maturity)
WATER - make sure you have access to watering your wheat plot (sprinkler system or manual watering)
4. Who's involved?
School district or campus food service director, staff, and teachers
Students
Parents
California Wheat Commission Wheat2School Project*
Pot
Garden Box
Small Plot in the Ground
Field
Parkfield Elementary School
Shandon Elementary and Middle School
Cappy Culver Elementary School
Lillian Larsen Elementary School
Common Questions & Answers
“How much seed do I need?”
2-3 wheat seeds for each paper cup at a depth of 1 ½”
6-8 wheat seeds for each 4”-6” pot
25-30 seeds per square ft of soil for larger scale projects
“Where I can buy seed?"
Connect with the CA Wheat Commission to get wheat seeds for your classroom or school!
“Do you need a big field to grow wheat?"
No! Wheat can grow at any scale. You can grow wheat in paper cups and pots that easily fit in a classroom, or a small plot or a planting box outdoors.
Special Notes
For quicker results, you may wish to germinate seeds in a wet paper towel before planting. Germination usually takes six to eight days.
You may choose to plant wheat in larger containers if you are growing the wheat to maturity. Paper cups have a tendency to tip when the wheat grows tall.
You may choose to add fertilizer high in nitrogen, twice during the growing season, especially if the plants have minimal soil available to them.
If growing wheat outdoors, plan to plant it in October through December for harvest in June – July.
INFOGRAPHICS