How to grow grain

Wheat seeds are often available at gardening and DIY stores or online. Check that the seeds are the right ones for the time of year you’re planting:

• Winter wheat is planted in the autumn and harvested from mid-May.
• Spring wheat is planted in the spring and harvested in autumn.

Both spring and winter wheat are divided into:

• Soft wheat, which has a low gluten content and is used for pastries and crackers,
• Hard wheat which is high in gluten and used for bread, and durum wheat which is used for pasta.

The type that’s best for you will depend on where you live. It’s worth asking for advice in the gardening store you buy your seeds from.

1. It’s all about timing

Wheat should be planted in the spring or the autumn – timing is important, so it’s a good idea to make a note on your calendar of when you need to start planting your seeds.

2. Prepare the soil

You’ll need some good rich soil, so it’s best to dig in some compost. (You can buy bags of compost at garden centres and DIY stores. Or you could make your own by throwing all your food waste into a compost bin. It takes a few months for it to be ready to use, but it’s worth the wait.) Make sure the ground is fairly even - you can use a shovel and rake to do this. Most children love digging and raking – so sit back and let them play!

3. Get planting

Sprinkle the seeds over the soil - you need 3 oz for every 100 square feet (85 g for every 10 square meters). It’s best to help your child do this – just in case you get wheat in your flower beds!

4. Rake it out

Rake over the soil to cover the seeds. Help your child out with this job as it needs a gentle touch.

5. Scare the crows!

You probably won’t need a scarecrow – but if you’re planting outside you’ll need to cover the seeds to protect them from birds.

6. Just add water

Make sure the seeds get enough water - if it doesn’t rain, water them once a day. (Why not get your child their own little watering can?) If you go away, instead of asking a neighbour to water your crop, you could use an automatic watering system. You can pick up an inexpensive and easy to use kit from your local DIY stores or garden centre.

7. See how they grow!

Be patient, and before long you’ll see the first green shoots. By midsummer (or a bit later for spring wheat) the colour of the stalks will turn from green to yellow or brown. And the heads will become heavy with grain and start to bend forward. So now you have your own crop of golden wheat, what are you going to do with it? Well, you could harvest it and make your own wheat flour. Alternatively, you could sit back and admire your beautiful golden wheat – it really does look fantastic and is an unusual addition to your garden or outside area.