Microgreens are:
Easy & Fast to Grow!
Add a Sweet or Savory Taste to Any Dish
Rich in Nutrients
I have grown microgreens with the kids for years. The best part about them is that they are quick and I mean quick! You can harvest microgreens anywhere between 7-14 days after planting them. Due to how quickly they grow and quickly you can harvest them, I feel like they are the perfect plant to grow with kids in the wintertime. Just set aside time to put your microgreens in a container and then enjoy watching them quickly transform from seed to something edible.
So you may be asking yourself, what are microgreens? Microgreens are the first shoots of greens (salad greens like arugula, chard, raddish) that are harvested right after the first leaves arrive. You harvest them once they are about 2 inches high and then you can use them as a garnish to add extra flavor to salads, pastas, fish etc. (really anything). I would recommend you order specific microgreen seeds so that you are getting a mix that grows well as a microgreen and is edible. Note: Not all plants sprouts are edible such as those in the nightshade family (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers etc.) so just order specific microgreen seeds and then you will be fine.
Tips for Growing Microgreens:
- Order specific organic microgreen seeds. There are numerous places you can buy seeds but this year I bought my seeds from TrueLeaf Market. We like the organic basic salad mix and the organic spicy salad mix. I also usually do other types as well because they all grow so differently so they are fun to watch. Other places to get seeds include Burpee, or your local plant nursery.
-In the past, I have always used soil as my medium to grow microgreens but sometimes the soil has splashed on my windowsill which can get a little annoying. So this year, I order the Micro-Mats Hydroponic Grow Pads from Trueleaf Market. I have been happy with this decision since it was very simple to set up the seeds. Know that once you add water to the pad, it is almost impossible to move. So position or cut your mat into the container you will use ahead of time and then water the pad. After adding water, add your seeds on top and let them be. Throughout the growing process, I didn't have to add any additional water to my tray but check to make sure that the mat does not completely dry out, you want it to stay moist.
-I always just reuse our old growing trays from our farmer's market days that look like these. However you can use any container to grow them in even old pots you have lying around. The trays I use do not have holes in them so that the water stays in the tray. If you use old pots, know that you will have to be more on top of watering them so they don't dry out.
Happy Growing!
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