Microgreens are the shoots of salad vegetables and other plants, usually harvested between the 7-21 day time frame. They can be grown in soil, hydroponically, or even on a paper towel. Microgreens contain a large amount of nutrients and minerals in a small package. The flavor is unique and freshness is unbeatable. Find out more information about microgreens down below.
The shoots of salad vegetables such as arugula, swiss chard, mustard, beetroot, etc., picked just after the first leaves have developed.
Definitions from Oxford Languages
What plants can be microgreens?
Technically every plant is a microgreen at some stage in its life. However, there have been a few that stand out when compared to the rest. Broccoli microgreens can contain up to 40 times the amount of nutrients in the same portion size as their adult counterpart. Now that is something!
The options when picking your microgreens give you the ability to grow exactly what you want. Spicy mustard, nasturtiums, sweet basil, and dun peas to name a few are some of my absolute favorites to grow. Some can be a little more difficult to grow than others.
Get started growing today!
Selecting the right microgreens in the beginning can make the adventure much more enjoyable. The three I recommend starting with are Broccoli, Purple Radish, and Sunflowers. Sunflowers can be tricky to master with mold being your biggest issue. Once figured out the rewards from these little seeds are amazing.
Recommended starting microgreens
Broccoli Microgreens Seeds. Broccoli microgreens have high sulforaphane content, are da… [More]
Purple Radish Seeds. Non-GMO, Raphanus sativus. A solid, reliable microgreen for growin… [More]
Conventional. Whole (Shell On) Non-GMO. Sunflower sprouts and microgreens have a nutty … [More]
If you want to see the wide variety of seeds available, True Leaf Market has one of the largest microgreen seed collections available that I have seen. Head over and browse through, each seed has a description of the flavor, smell, and texture. Each also has the grow time and blackout period for each too. Some of the colors that are there would look amazing coming out on a dish.
Get started growing microgreens with a kit
These single serve mini microgreens kits are a fun and inexpensive way to start growing… [More]
These single serve mini microgreens kits are a fun and inexpensive way to start growing… [More]
These single serve mini microgreens kits are a fun and inexpensive way to start growing… [More]
Benefits of Microgreens
Starting your own microgreens and tips on growing
Learning to grow your own food is fun, affordable, and rewarding. Microgreens are one of the best ways to be introduced to gardening as it is small scale and the harvest is relatively quick. As most gardeners know, getting that first harvest is very inspiring for the seasons to come and can blossom into a…
Microgreen Studies & Reports
- Culinary Assessment of Self-Produced Microgreens as Basic Ingredients in Sweet and Savory Dishes
- Microgreens of Brassicaceae: Mineral composition and content of 30 varieties
- Broccoli Microgreens: A Mineral-Rich Crop That Can Diversify Food Systems
- Assessment of vitamin and carotenoid concentrations of emerging food products: edible microgreens
- Comparison between the mineral profile and nitrate content of microgreens and mature lettuces
- Profiling Polyphenols in Five Brassica species Microgreens
- Amaranth sprouts and microgreens – a homestead vegetable production option to enhance food and nutrition security in the rural-urban continuum
Using microgreens
My top 10 uses for microgreens Below I have listed some of my top recommendations for your tasty microgreens. Top an omelet with a fresh garden kick by adding purple radish microgreens. Add the Salad mix to your smoothie and blend it up for a large punch of nutrients Sprinkle some on top of avocado…
How to grow microgreens
Materials
- Two growing trays / One with holes, one without.
- Growing Medium, ensure your microgreen can grow in that medium. Soil, Coco coir, jute fibers, or even a paper towel.
- Seed of choice
- Water
- Dark Storage Area, for the blackout period.
- A grow light or an area with good natural light. Insufficient light will result in leggy and stringy microgreens.
Steps
- Using your growing medium (I’m using a soil mix in this example), fill the tray with holes to the edge, around 1/8th of an inch from the top of the tray. Or when there is around 1.5 – 2.5 inches of soil in your tray. Gently level the surface of your growing medium so it is flat across its entirety.
- Measure out the correct amount of seeds to sow, most seed distributors will list the recommended seed density. For broccoli and purple radish I use 1 oz. of seeds per 10″ x 20″ tray.
- Evenly disperse the seeds across your entire growing mediums surface. Make sure to not clump them up, as this can cause issues with germination, mold, and general appearance. I have found a nice sweeping motion helps to spread them.
- Once sown, it is watering time. Now this is definitely a trial and error situation, I can describe to you an idea of how much water to put on. You will want it to be wet and damp but not soggy. I usually blast my seeds with a watering nozzle for about 5 – 10 seconds, you will want to ensure even spread of the water as well.
- Place your soiled, seeded, and watered tray on top of the other tray you have standing by. These two trays are now married and will stay together until harvest. This 2nd tray is how you will water your microgreens, using bottom watering helps extend the life your microgreens and can improve product taste. Another important factor is it helps cut down on unnecessary moisture being trapped in the leaves of your greens. This moisture can lead to mold and other substances that can be harmful to humans.
- Place your tray in a blackout period with weight added to the top of your seeds, this period is dependent upon the variety of microgreen, but is usually 2-5 days. As for the weight, I have used from 5 – 25 lbs and found around 10 lbs works the best. Too much weight and the greens will germinate unevenly, too little weight and the root structures may not be strong enough to support the plant.
- After our dark strength training episode we are ready for the light. Expose your microgreens to the light and watch them transform from yellow to green in about a day or two.
- Once you’ve brought these little creatures into the harsh world you HAVE TO water them. Every 1 – 2 days place about 1/8th” of water in the bottom tray. The holes will allow the soil to soak up the water and give it to the roots.
- If you notice your greens are looking very leggy, suggest moving them closer to the light source.
- Harvest Time! A day or two before your “expected” harvest date start tasting your microgreens. You will know when it is time to harvest. Most microgreens are harvested prior to the true leaves appearing.
Get started growing today!
Selecting the right microgreens in the beginning can make the adventure much more enjoyable. The three I recommend starting with are Broccoli, Purple Radish, and Sunflowers. Sunflowers can be tricky to master with mold being your biggest issue. Once figured out the rewards from these little seeds are amazing.
Recommended starting microgreens
Broccoli Microgreens Seeds. Broccoli microgreens have high sulforaphane content, are da… [More]
Purple Radish Seeds. Non-GMO, Raphanus sativus. A solid, reliable microgreen for growin… [More]
Conventional. Whole (Shell On) Non-GMO. Sunflower sprouts and microgreens have a nutty … [More]
How we sow a tray of purple radish seeds.
Microgreens are healthy and affordable
If you decide to give microgreens a shot the flavor might just take you by surprise, especially when you consider they are only a few weeks old at the most. While more studies are required before the scientific community can fully back these mighty microgreens I will support them in saying that the flavor alone is worth the purchase.
There are a few options for trying microgreens:
A) You can purchase some from a local grower such as Myers Greens or some healthfood stores and Walmarts carry microgreens. Supporting a local grower is a much better choice, by purchasing local you can be guaranteed a much fresher product.
B) You can purchase everything you need from True Leaf Market. For as little as $20 you can get started growing your own microgreens that would get you a tray, seeds, watering device, and some soil.
C) Head out to a restaurant and find one that offers microgreens on their dishes.
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Myers Greens LLC
Myers Greens is a nursery located in southwest Iowa. With the main goal of providing top quality microgreens and fresh herbs. Follow the blog to keep up to date on what we are growing.
Myers Greens 