Large Field
When you have a lot of space available, planting wheat into the ground in a field is a great way to yield large results to the crop.
Process:
At the beginning of the planting season, care for your wheat plot by removing all excess weeds or plants that have grown over the off season. You can make this a class a garden day activity with your students. Rake and move the soil around until generally cleared. Add generous amounts of water and leave for a few days.
Make sure to add fertilizer to the soil prior to planting. In general, for best growth and yield, wheat plants need the following nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K), Phosphorus (P), Sulphur (S), Magnesium (Mg), Iron (Fe), Μanganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Calcium (Ca). You can purchase a bone meal fertilizer at a local home improvement store to apply to the soil before planting to ensure all nutrients are present.
After steps 1 and 2, you can begin planting the wheat. Depending on the size of the wheat plot, use a hand shovel to make rows vertical to the length of the box, around 1-2 inches deep.
Add seed generously throughout the rows using a seeder or by hand. Once the seeds are planted, cover the seeds loosely with soil. Water generously after the seeds are covered.
Example Timeline
July/August
Plot designation and prep, Create fence, Lay compost/amendments/organic fertilizer, Turn the soil, Place irrigation, wet the soil before planting, 1 in a week before planting, *Optional weeding time*
October
Plant with a fertilizer distributor (25-30 seeds per square ft), *note: planting time no later than the first week of November to align harvest time with the end of the school year
Ongoing after planting: Maintain plot, Weeding, Irrigation (first weeks for germination and support), Wheat matures, Incorporate measuring and evaluating stages of growth in lesson plans as wheat matures
May
Harvesting process: Cutting, Threshing, Winnowing, Storing, Milling, Baking
June
Plant beans after wheat crop is finished