How to Grow Oat Grass
Oat grass is used as a dietary supplement for people, and it can often be used as a “cat grass” to discourage your house cats from eating your other prized plants. Oat grass is the grass that produces oats when its allowed to go to seed. By regularly cutting your oat grass back, you can prevent seeding and have a more regular supply of the grass for you or for your pets. Although a number of manufacturers offer commercial oat grass sprouting trays and systems, you can grow oat grass outside or indoors in common growing pans or pots.
Put oat seeds in a bowl with two to three times as much water as oat seed. The water should be 60 to 70 degrees F. Let the oats soak for two hours.
Drain the seeds and rinse them thoroughly.
- Oat grass is used as a dietary supplement for people, and it can often be used as a “cat grass” to discourage your house cats from eating your other prized plants.
- By regularly cutting your oat grass back, you can prevent seeding and have a more regular supply of the grass for you or for your pets.
Set the seeds aside for eight to 12 hours.
Rinse and drain the seeds again. Continue the rinse and drain sequence until you see 1/8- to 1/4-inch taproots. This usually happens after two or three rinse and drain cycles.
Moisten the soil or growing medium in the growing location for the grass. If you are growing outdoors, rototill the patch before planting. If you are growing indoors, moisten the potting soil in the pans or pots in which you are going to grow your oat grass.
- Set the seeds aside for eight to 12 hours.
- If you are growing indoors, moisten the potting soil in the pans or pots in which you are going to grow your oat grass.
Rinse your seeds one more time and spread them evenly across your moistened soil.
Cover the seeds and soil to keep moisture in and light out until the seeds fully germinate.
Mist or water your seeds once or twice a day until the roots bury themselves under the soil.
Once the roots establish, water your oat grass enough to keep the grass moist until the blades form.
After the grass has pushed up the cover, remove the cover and, if you're growing your oat grass inside, move your grass to a sunny location.
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Although he grew up in Latin America, Mr. Ma is a writer based in Denver. He has been writing since 1987 and has written for NPR, AP, Boeing, Ford New Holland, Microsoft, RAHCO International, Umax Data Systems and other manufacturers in Taiwan. He studied creative writing at Mankato State University in Minnesota. He speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese, English and reads Spanish.
