Growing Microgreens At Home
Growing Microgreens At Home
May 1, 2018
Are you interested in growing microgreens at home? I hadn't a garden in ages and I've gotten better at growing since. When I first started I had a fruitful experience learning. I attempted and failed but eventually, it all worked out. A lot of people we're asking me if they could grow indoors without a hydroponic system or vertical farm? The answer is yes.
Microgreens are most commonly harvested from leafy greens such as kale, arugula, beet greens, onions, radish greens, watercress, chard and pak choi and herbs such as cilantro, basil, chervil, parsley, and chives. The taste of microgreens depends on the original vegetable. Microgreens have a very strong and concentrated taste of the original vegetable. This means that cilantro microgreens will still taste of cilantro but in a stronger, more vegetable and condensed format.
Here are some instructions viaFarmingmybackyard
Get a tray or box. Shallow trays are best, but my personal favorite is those clear plastic salad tubs with lids. It’s a little harder to trim, and you may not get ideal airflow, but the lids are nice for keeping the seeds moist while they germinate.
Spread 2 inches of potting soil in your container. Pre-moisten your potting mix and don’t pack it down. Keep the soil nice and fluffy when you add it in.
Sprinkle your seeds over the top of the soil. Don’t worry about spacing! You will be harvesting so soon that a nice little carpet is what you’re going for. You don’t need to put a second layer of soil over the seeds, although some people do. Other people say it decreases germination rate. This is something you may want to test personally and see what works best for you.
Water lightly and cover your container. Covering helps keep in moisture, and the darkness helps the seeds germinate. You can use another tray, a light dishtowel, the lid to a salad box. It’s all good.
Remove cover after the seeds sprout. After a few days, your seeds should have sprouted. Remove the cover and put them near a light source. I don’t have a good south facing windows, so mine go on top of the microwave to take advantage of the under the counter grow lights.
Carefully water your baby plants. The best option is to bottom water, which is setting your tray or box (with drainage holes!) in a sink of water and letting the plants soak it up. If you top water, be careful not to flatten the tiny plants.
Cut your microgreens with scissors. Most are yummiest after they develop their second set of leaves, and are about 2 inches tall. You can let them go longer, especially the larger seeds such as popcorn and pea shoots. Don’t leave your seeds too long or they aren’t as delicious.
Keep the soil moist after harvesting. Sometimes you can get a second crop from seeds that didn’t germinate the first time! Always give it some time and see if you get a round two.
Eat your microgreens! You can eat them on sandwiches, in stir fry, on pizza, in green smoothies, in salads, or as a garnish. They are best fresh, but if you must you can store them in a glass jar in the fridge for a few days.
These are simple and easy instructions. If you have any more questions don't hesitate to reach out.
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