GROW YOUR OWN MICROGREENS
〰️
GROW YOUR OWN MICROGREENS 〰️
Growing Microgreens at home is a fun and easy way to add fresh and nutrient-rich greens to your meals. You can do this with various methods, below we will guide you through growing your Microgreens in soil.
With a little soil and a sunny spot, you can grow all types of Microgreens.
If you prefer not to use soil, Kiwigreens also has soilless grow kits called Micropod’s, these kits contain everything you need.
WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE YOU START
-
Your options are limitless when looking for a suitable tray to grow your microgreens. There is no need to rush out and buy a specialised tray when all you need is a any non-toxic food-safe item which can hold a minimum of 1.5inches (3-4cms) of growing medium.
Consider re-using food packaging one last time. Items like single use yogurt containers, mismatched dishes, food storage containers without lids or even old lunchboxes can be re-purposed. For best results avoid anything glass or see through.
Have a play around and see what works best for you and the space you're using.
Whatever you choose you will need a lid, if possible, find two items the same so they can stack on top of each other. If you don’t have two items, the same you can cut a piece of carboard to fit. It’s important to mention, do not use cardboard that has any ink on it as it could possibly leech onto your food.
-
There are a couple of options here, depending on how much your growing will decide on how much effort you want to put into this.
You can use coco coir soil or pellets, organic seed raising mix or you may even want to mix them together. There is not right or wrong answer here it will all come down to the environment you're growing in and how much effort you want to put in.
Coco coir is fantastic for water retention and breaks down quickly in the compost, and organic seed raising is by far the healthiest option when looking grow your microgreens in soil. Make sure to read the packaging before purchasing the most expensive does not mean it’s the best product.
-
Check out our seed varieties, all our seeds are untreated and affordable. If you already have your own seeds, just make sure they have not been treated with chemicals making them unsafe to eat at the microgreen stage.
Seeds that have been treated are only safe to eat when the vegetable is grown into a mature vegetable.
-
Its important to keep the seeds moist while germinating, we do this spraying the seeds daily when germinating as required.
-
You need a warm sunny spot to grow your microgreens. This could be on your kitchen bench or windowsill. The spot needs to be somewhere you can check on your microgreens daily.
LETS START PLANTING
-
Some seeds will require soaking prior to planting, this speeds up the germinating process by softening the husk protecting the seed.
If specified on the product page instructions, pre-soak your microgreen seeds for the recommended time.
This is not compulsory but will speed up germination . After the specified time, drain the water and rinse your seeds thoroughly.
Smaller seeds such as broccoli, Pak Choi, Radish or Rocket don’t need to be soaked.
-
Fill your growing tray with 1 to 3 inches of your chosen growing medium. Make sure the consistency of your medium is fine and any lumps or bark broken down or removed.
Press down the soil lightly and evenly then mist with a spray bottle.
Once flat and moist, not compacted or soggy, you’re ready for sowing.
-
Now its time to sow your seeds. If your seeds required pre-soaking the drain your seeds before sowing.
Seeds should be scattered evenly over the surface careful to not pile any on top of each other.
Lightly spray your seeds with fresh water.
-
Hopefully you found two trays the same size and shape. If so place the second tray on top of your seeds and push down lightly. Leave your tray on top of the seeds and check every other day that the seeds are moist.
As your seeds germinate they will push the tray up and you will see your Microgreens are ready to uncover when you can see they are roughy 2 - 4 cm long.
If you were unable to find matching trays, then push the seeds down lightly with your fingers and place the cardboard over the tray.
-
Once your Microgreens are about 4 cms long you they are ready to uncover and expose to the sunshine. Your Microgreens may look a little yellow. This is completely normal, and they will turn green in the sunlight.
Fun fact: Chlorophyll found in plant leaves gives plants their distinctive green colour. The chlorophyll undergoes chemical reactions that convert energy absorbed from the sun into chemical energy. This process is called photosynthesis. This process is essential to the survival of plants and all life on Earth.
-
Your Microgreens are ready to eat once the first two leaves have finished developing. Most of our range are ready to eat anywhere from 8 - 14 days. Try them all.
Recycle
Now that you have eaten all our greens it’s time to recycle your kit. Remove the dirt from the container and break up the roots and stalks using your hands. You can now use this soil a couple different ways.
Add to your compost bin.
Add to any outdoor plant pots or gardens.
Add loose soil to your indoor pot plants.
Avoid sending your leftovers to landfill.
START AGAIN
You can absolutely reuse this method over and over, Kiwigreens sell a variety of untreated Microgreens seeds that you can try, giving you a wide range of flavours and fragrance. Alternatively try one of the Micropod kits and grow soilless.