Microgreens, what are these all about?

How do i grow, planta harvest etc?

Comments

  • MaryRowe
    MaryRowe Posts: 736 ✭✭✭✭


    Oh gosh, microgreens are fun to grow and so great to eat--you can use them many ways! Couldn't get through the winter without them!

    I found these two good articles here on the TGN site. (Hope the links work--I haven't been having good luck with that lately--but if they don't, just go to the TGN home page and search for microgreens and they'll turn up--they are both great starter articles.)

  • JodieDownUnder
    JodieDownUnder Posts: 1,483 admin

    In the past, I’ve grown them in a pot. Sow pretty thick, keep watered using a spray bottle. Don’t let them dry out and move the pot if it gets to hot. Harvest with scissors when they get to 5cm(2 inch). You can do this a few times. I’ve found alfalfa and broccoli a great healthy mix. I’ve tried growing them in a special jar with a mesh lid for straining but they can go a bit mouldy on occasion, so I’ve gone back to growing in a pot. Remember to buy seeds that haven’t been treated with fungicides/chemicals etc. When planting just sprinkle on top of soil. Hope this helps.

  • soeasytocraft
    soeasytocraft Posts: 237 ✭✭✭

    During the winter sprouts are always growing on my counter. Really would like to start microgreens but where does a person get seeds?

    Seems to me they need to be clean seeds and lots would be needed to seed heavily. What do you use for seeds?

    I sprouted organic lentils from the health food store recently. They turned out great. Do you think they work as microgreens?

  • Nancy Carter
    Nancy Carter Posts: 202 ✭✭✭

    Im going to try it this winter! Looks like fun!

  • Brindy
    Brindy Posts: 212 ✭✭✭

    There are lots of seed companies. I love growing broccoli sprouts. I read that they are sort nutritious and are the most beneficial on the third day. I don't really like them in smoothies though, they're too strong flavored.

  • MaryRowe
    MaryRowe Posts: 736 ✭✭✭✭

    @soeasytocraft we were having a discussion about sources for seeds on one of the other threads no long ago, but now I can't remember which thread it was. 🤔

    Several companies sell seeds for sprouts and microgreens. A couple people in that discussion recommended Johnny's Seeds, and I have ordered from them too, though I more often order from Pinetree Garden Seeds. Another person in that discussion recommended Sprout People (sproutpeople.org) I just tried them and received my first order--excellent selection and the seeds look great. All three companies are reliable sources with proven track records, and I'm sure there are others as well.

    I have never tried using lentils for microgreens, but I have used peas, so it seems like lentils would work too...worth a try....

  • For my own use I grow peas and popcorn shoots from just regular food peas and popcorn.

    Works great and does not break the bank. Some for wheat Gras. I just use the wheat from the health store for milling into flour.

    Radish and cress I just use left over seeds from last year.

  • Merin Porter
    Merin Porter Posts: 1,026 admin

    Love these ideas. I've also been having really good luck (so far this year) with growing kale indoors under a grow light. I know that's random, but I love just being able to grab some leaves off and snack on them, and they regrow really fast!

  • Nancy Carter
    Nancy Carter Posts: 202 ✭✭✭

    I went to the local hardware store yesterday to see if they had any seeds left. They said all their seeds had expired in November so they removed them from their shelf. The gentleman handed me the bag of seeds and said we can't sell them but you can have them! I was totally shocked! I had no idea there was an expiration date on seeds! Is that something to follow? I've always used seeds from years prior. I was excited to find microgreens in the bag of seeds. I'm on my way to trying something new, which by the way I will include my husband!LOL!!

  • MaryRowe
    MaryRowe Posts: 736 ✭✭✭✭

    @Nancy Carter Wow, that was some good luck! Congratulations on your find! Probably any of the seeds in your bag can be grown as microgreens.

    And supposedly seeds do have an expiration, though I've had good luck with seeds that were years old too. But if you notice, somewhere on the seed packet, usually on the back along the bottom or edge, it will be stamped something like "packed for 2020" or whatever the year. Most stores won't sell them after that date, they just toss them!

    On the seed saving summit that aired a couple weeks back there was a good bit of discussion about expiration dates for seeds, and the tables that show how long each type of seed is supposedly viable. The consensus seemed to be that none of that means much. Some types of vegetable seeds do stay viable longer than others, but most last for years. The quality of the seed, the way it was packed, the conditions it was stored in--those kinds of variables make a huge difference. Researchers in Israel I think it was--someplace in the Middle East anyway, recently revived 2.000-year old date seeds from an archaeological site, and are growing date palms from them. Beans found at ancient Native American sites in the Southwest have been revived, and a couple varieties are even available from seed companies now. So I don't think we have to worry much if our seeds are a year or two past the date on the packet.....

  • Nancy Carter
    Nancy Carter Posts: 202 ✭✭✭

    @MaryRowe awesome info, I will try and see if I can find the seed summit. I hope it is still available to view! It is truly amazing how seeds can grow years later! Thank you for the information!!

  • MaryRowe
    MaryRowe Posts: 736 ✭✭✭✭

    @Nancy Carter that seed saving summit was one of those online events, free for the weekend, but big bucks if you want access after that. So I don't know if that one is still available. But I think there is a seed saving class here among the TGN classes that I want to take, and there are bound to be some good articles on the TGN site. I'll look around to see what else I can find too--I really wanted to know more about those 2,000-year-old date palms!

  • Nancy Carter
    Nancy Carter Posts: 202 ✭✭✭

    @MaryRowe thats pretty cool! I started the seed saving class and I'm enjoying it! I have enjoyed all the classes so far, glad to be part of this network!