Small Plot in the Ground

When you have more space available, planting wheat into the ground in a small plot is a great option!

Process:

1. 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.

2. 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. Organic amendments include bone meal (Phosphorus) and blood meal (Nitrogen). Follow instructions on the package for application and reapply 3-5 months later if needed.

3. 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. 

4. 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.