Microgreens
Growing Microgreens Inside in the Winter
A great way to get your gardening fix in the winter and maybe even have some fun with the kids, is to start a microgreen garden in the kitchen. This project is easy, fun, cheap and nutritious. You need very little space and it doesn’t take very long to have a sow to harvest crop. No fertilizer or fancy expensive lights, just a bright lit window. Even in the winter.
You can use almost any garden seeds to do micro greens. Start with easy and fast-growing seeds like beets, radish or cabbage. Some people use seed starting mix with worm castings added for fertilizer. I use a compost base potting soil so no need to add any fertilizer. The compost in the potting soil has enough fertilizer to get it to the stage of harvest. It doesn’t take long or much.
For containers, I used recycled aluminum bread pans. I use 3 of the same size. One on the bottom to catch any water, (and later to hold the water), one in the middle that holds the soil and seedlings. (This one should have a few holes punched in the bottom for drainage). The top one has no holes. This one we will use to shade the sprouts and hold in the humidity.
First, I pre-moisten my soil then I put the soil in the middle pan (the one that has the holes). An inch of soil is more than enough. I sprinkle on the seeds pretty heavy. A gardener is trained to not put their seeds too close together because they would have to thin them out later, but in this instance sow them very close. You will harvest the micro greens before the closeness becomes a problem. Use a spray bottle with water and spray the seeds lightly but don't over do it.
Set the pan with the soil and seeds into the bottom pan and set the third pan on top. Use a brick or rock (or catfood cans!) on the top pan to weigh it down. The weight will help give you even germination by making sure every seed comes in contact with the wet, warm, soil.
Set the pans in a warm spot. I put mine in the kitchen. The top of the refrigerator radiates heat and would be a good spot. Seeds do not need light to germinate, they need warm soil.
Check it in the morning and evening. Using a spray bottle, lightly spray the seeds each time you check them. Some seeds sprout quicker and grow faster than others.
Once they sprout, (which will take only a few days), look on the bottom side of the pan that holds the seeds and soil. You will start to see roots coming out through the drain holes in the pan that they were planted in. When they do, you will not only want to spray the sprouts but also the inside of the drain pan. As the roots grow, they will need moisture or they will start to turn brown and the seedlings will slow down. They don’t know they are planted on the surface. As they grow, they will stretch. Usually about day 3 or 4 you will be able to see that they have germinated and wanting to grow.
Take the weight off and invert the top tray so as to cover the seedlings so they can stretch. The black out will make the sprouts stretch making it easier to harvest and you will get a little bit more product.
Day 2
Looking good!
Day 3
Spray the pan morning and night as needed
Day 4
Take the weighted pan off
Once they stretch to 1 ½ inches tall, set the micro greens in the light - usually on day 4 or 5. The roots should be reaching to the bottom tray. Keep water in the bottom pan. The amount depends on the size of your bottom tray, but the water should wick up into the soil in 15 minutes. Pour out any excess after that time. You might have to do this twice a day. At this stage they are going to need more water. When you start to bottom water the micro greens you can stop spraying the tops.
The location in the light should also be an area that you have some air movement so you won’t have a mold or mildew problem. Remember to keep on checking the microgreens twice a day. Now being in the light they should start to color up. Cabbage, Kohlrabi, and others have a pretty red color. Check the sides and corners of the planter. This is where the dry spots will be visible first. A few dry spots are ok.
Harvest your microgreens with scissors or snips. Don't cut too close to the roots! Enjoy your delicious, nutritious harves!