Instructions - CocoTek Growth Medium Instructions

Instructions - CocoTek Growth Medium Instructions


CocoTek® Growing Instructions . . .


  1. Place the CocoTek mat into the black tray with no holes. Cover with salt water. (2 T. Salt) Soak 2 hours. Rinse the mat well. (Later the tray with no holes can be used under the tray with holes to protect your furniture.)
  2. Put the CocoTek into a black tray with holes. Sprinkle one handful of Azomite over the mat, evenly. Azomite is a trace mineral that ensures the highest nutritional value of your sprouted grass.
  3. Rinse one package of seed 2 or 3 times before you soak. Place one package of pre-measured (2 cups) wheatgrass or barley grass seed into a jar and fill the jar with water so that water completely immerses the seed. Soak the seed overnight. (8 to 12 hours in the winter – 6 to 8 hours in the summer – soak in refrigerator during hot part of summer).
  4. Drain off the water, and rinse the seed well. Plant the seed anytime during the day, spreading them evenly over the coco mat, in a thick layer to ensure abundant juice.
  5. Cover the seed with about 4 layers of dry paper towels. Spray water directly over the paper towels until the towels and the seed and mat beneath are soaked thoroughly, and the water drips from the bottom of the tray.
  6. For the next three days, keep newspaper or paper towel wet! Important! If newspaper dries out, the root hairs on the sprouts will dry out and the grass will not come up well. A piece of plastic can be laid over the newspaper to keep it from drying out too quickly. On the second or third day take the newspaper off and water the grass and then place the newspaper back on for one more day. (In 1936 the United States Government mandated that all newsprint ink be made with vegetable oil. It is completely non toxic.) If you have a compost pile, it is good to add this newspaper to the pile. It adds carbon and sweetens your compost.
  7. When the grass is one to two inches tall, remove the paper and expose to indirect light. If it is extremely hot outside, put the tray in the shade. If you grow it inside the house, drain over your sink when you water, and then place the grass near a window. A cool but sunny place is ideal.
  8. Water your wheat or barley grass two or 3 times per day until it drips from the bottom. (If you live in an extremely dry climate, it would be a good idea to water once per day even while the seed is under the paper.)
  9. Keep your wheat in a cool place with moving air if possible. Sometimes in hotter climates wheatgrass and barley grass will show signs of mold near the roots. If you have problems with mold, cut what you are going to juice, put it in a big strainer or colander and power rinse the grass very well before you juice. Sometimes this will help eliminate the mold: Get some Real Salt from your health food store. Use 1 tbsp. per 1/2 gal water. Wash with this solution once after removing the paper. If all else fails, we have a product called Mold Control our website.
  10. Harvest the grass when it is six to seven inches tall. You can harvest only what you are going to juice at that time or you can harvest the whole tray. If you harvest the whole tray, put it in a plastic bag and store in your refrigerator. The grass will stay fresh in the refrigerator. When the weather is cooler, it is better to harvest as you juice. (If you have room, the whole tray can be put in the refrigerator.)
  11. It takes very little wheatgrass per day to satisfy the nutritional needs of a normal person. One ounce is a good start if you have never had wheatgrass juice before. Gradually increase you daily intake until you find the amount with which you are comfort- able. A typical person should increase the amount of grass juice they take by one ounce every two or three weeks up to a total of four ounces. Some people choose to remain at 2 ounces.
  12. Each tray of six-to seven-inch-tall grass will yield approximately 12 ounces of juice. Depending upon the amount you use, you will probably need to space your planting every five to six days and as you gradually use more, plant every three to four days.
  13. The coco mat is completely organic and biodegradeable, but we do not recommend adding it to a compost pile, as it takes a very long time to break down. Also, we do not recommend re-using the mats for a second crop; it is very difficult to get a good harvest. It can be used, but the grass will not be as nutritious.
JUICING INSTRUCTIONS
  1. When the grass is six to seven inches tall, it is ready to juice.
  2. Use serrated kitchen knife. Cut the grass as close to the compost/coco mat as possible.
  3. Juice with the tip of the grass down.
  4. Juice until you get one ounce or more, as needed.

Juice Mixtures:

According to Ann Wigmore, wheatgrass juice should be taken straight or mixed with distilled water one hour before meals or two hours after. If it is hard to take plain, mix it with bottled apple or pineapple juice. Barleygrass juice can be mixed with all of the above. Both wheatgrass and barleygrass juice can be mixed with any fresh vegetable juices.

Here are some recipes taken from Elizabeth Baker’s book, The Uncook Book:

    • Celery & Wheatgrass:
      • 5 oz. celery juice
      • 1 oz. wheatgrass juice
      • 1 oz. distilled water

    • Wheatgrass & Pineapple:
      • 4 oz pineapple juice
      • 2 oz. celery juice
      • 1 to 2 oz. wheatgrass juice.

    • Vegetable Juice Cocktail:
      • 3 oz. carrot, 2 oz. celery
      • 1 oz. distilled water
      • 1 to 2 oz. wheatgrass juice.

  • Lemon Green:
    • 2 oz. wheatgrass juice
    • 1 oz. lemon juice
    • 1 to 2 t. honey
    • 4 oz. distilled water.