Wheatgrass Mold Issues

[bluemerle]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for preventing mold when growing wheatgrass?

I don't seem to have issues when sprouting the seed - it only seems to become an issue when the grass is getting established & continues to worsen as the grass develops. It starts out as white mold and then darkens to green mold if not removed.

For reference, I'm growing in small plastic containers that I've drilled drainage holes in. They're sitting on my kitchen table, so they stay cool, and I water them twice a day - which I've now cut down to once a day to see if that helps. I do wash containers after each use, but I'm thinking maybe I need to sterilize them with some vinegar also?

Thanks in advance for any insight! The girls really do love their grass, so I'm trying to come up with a method that "works" so they're not eating moldy food.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Watering less makes it worse in my experience... watering more often keeps them cleaner, gives more oxygen... and surprisingly the more I water the faster they grow!

In my kitchen is where there seem to be more spores around. When sprouting seeds to plant last year... the ones on my bedroom window got no mold on their dirt surface while the ones in the kitchen did. So location does matter...

I went with barley per the reports of less mold type issues. I don't... but they DO suggest using a bleach (or maybe even peroxide) solution during your first soak to sterilize and help with the issue.

My birds often pick the seeds off the base if I grow out to fodder. And MAYBE eventually come back for the tops. My research indicates nutritionally that sprouting to about 4 days was equal to going longer and that the increase in weight is MOSTLY irrelevant... So maybe growing out for less time could be helpful for you.
http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj16(4)12/9.pdf

Brain storming... better drainage might help. Or maybe a thinner layer of seeds?

Good luck... I now sprouting is fun and beneficial. Hope you can make it work out for you and your ladies.

 

[happy duck]

Well I did have a problem with mold growing on the bottom of my run, but I don't think that will help with anything....

 

[bluemerle]

@EggSighted4Life Thank you! You've given me a lot to think about.

I definitely want to try giving them plain old sprouts! I plan to pick up some barley for that reason, actually. Considering they always pick out the 'berries' out of the bundle first, I'm sure they'll love it.

I have made some adjustments! I have one new tray that has a thinner layer of seeds, to see if that helps. I've also put them to rest on a towel, instead of a draining tray, to see if there's a standing water issue. And tomorrow I'll do a vinegar scrub of the trays. I'll report back if anything works!