The Best Growing Mediums For Microgreens
Growing microgreens is an easy and sustainable process that you can do from the comfort of your home. You can grow all kinds of nutritious microgreens that will enhance the flavor of your foods. These special vegetable-like plants grow from 1-3 inches and are vibrant additions to your foods. They are also jam-packed with vitamins and antioxidants. We're going to discuss the different growing mediums you can use for your microgreens.
Soil
Using soil as your growing medium is a popular and effective choice. Soil will provide you with the best yields over any other medium. We believe the Sunshine #4 by Sunshine Aggregate is the best, and the Black Gold Potting Mix is a close second. Each of these soils are extremely sterile, which is ideal for indoor growing. While these soils can cost more (about $1 per 10x20 tray), they provide the best results. But, don't worry. You can compost and sterilize your soil to re-use it for future grows.
Burlap
Burlap is another popular growing medium because it's cheap. For .25 cents a tray, you can't beat the price. It is made from the jute plant, which is used to make nets and ropes. But burlap is an incredibly difficult growing medium to use. The perfect growing conditions for burlap include 72 degrees Fahrenheit, 65% humidity, and a good micro-dose fertigation plan (fertilizer + irrigation). If you can populate these results, then you can achieve yields and results that match soil mixes.
But be mindful that this takes a lot of practice and time, which is why using burlap is better for expert growers. If you don't get the growing conditions right, then your yields will suffer. We recommend using larger seeds like Pea Shoots and Wheatgrass when using burlap. These seeds will thrive with a burlap growing medium, and you will get bountiful results.
Coco Coir
This growing medium comes from coconut fiber. It's perfect for holding in moisture and is difficult to over-water. It is cheaper than soil (about .60 cents a tray), but it's just as messy. Coco coir has a better yield average than burlap, about a 25% to 30% better average. You will find this growing medium in dehydrated blocks. When you add water, they will expand way past their original size. You can use coco coir with an ebb and flow hydroponic method.
Jute Pads
This growing medium is derived from jute fiber. It's able to transport water evenly through your microgreens and maintain a near-perfect water/air ratio. It holds in water very well, which means you'll have to feed your microgreens less. Kale and broccoli grow especially well in jute pads.
What's the Best Growing Medium?
This entirely depends on your growing intentions. What are you planning to grow and how much effort are you willing to put in? We're going to cover the main questions you should ask yourself that will help you make this decision.
Feeding Your Plants: If you want to water your plants by hand, then we recommend soil and coco coir. But if you're able to feed your plants on a timer, then go for burlap or jute pads. It can be a better option because it's cost-effective and can still get the job done.
Choosing Your Seeds: What kind of microgreens do you plan to grow? If you're growing broccoli or kale, then we recommend buying jute pads. Do you want to grow a wide variety of seeds? Then choose soil or coco coir as your growing medium.
Messy Vs. Clean: Do you hate cleaning up messes? Then it's best to steer clear of soil and coco coir. Go with jute pads since they're easy to handle and clean.