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Post by Gianna on Dec 19, 2017 23:23:24 GMT -5
I like salads, and I like other greens with my lettuce. But the 'other greens' can be a pain to grow, take time, and have a short picking span. Enter microgreens. (Not sprouts.)
After watching a lot of videos on the subject, I started growing these about a half year ago. They are so easy, they are ready fast, and you can time them pretty well for special occasion salads.
I've tried a number of veg seeds, and have settled on two types I really like. Pea and sunflower microgreens. These take about 10 days from seed soaking to harvest, depending on conditions. Another very popular one is radish, but they are too spicy for my tastes. The peas have a definite but mild pea flavor, and the sunflowers have a delicious texture and mild 'nutty' taste.
To make things easy for succession planting, I've measure out 1/4 cup amounts and put them in individual containers. Whenever I want another batch, I just add water to the pre-measured seeds to begin the process.
YOu can use a wide array of containers and regular planting mix. This can be all done inside if you have a good enough light source.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Dec 20, 2017 11:03:14 GMT -5
There is a really neat article about growing microgreens in the latest issue of Mother Earth News. They give tips on growing them as well as the quantity needed to have salad every day. I'm thinking about trying some in one of my windows. I don't have any south facing ones, but my kitchen one might let in enough sunlight. I have to wait until after Christmas though, as there are decorations on the windowsill.
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poppopt
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Posts: 89
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Post by poppopt on Dec 20, 2017 13:27:30 GMT -5
I kinda like the idea of growing just small amounts for fresh salads. I have a feeling that it would be easy to grow way more than we could eat.
Thanks for the discussion!
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Post by Gianna on Dec 20, 2017 20:13:49 GMT -5
It takes a little practice to learn what works for you, but it's easier to grow smaller amounts than the large 10/20inch trays many of the YouTube video people use. Any container will do. I prefer just a few inches square. All you need is something that will hold from 1 to 2 inches of mix, and with drain holes. You don't really need those either, but they make watering from the bottom much easier.
I like to grow enough for a few days at a time. There is both a few day window of when you can harvest them, as well as being able to pick them all and keep them in the frig. Once you have a formula, it takes very little time to deal with the various steps growing them requires.
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poppopt
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Posts: 89
Joined: May 2017
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Post by poppopt on Dec 21, 2017 15:03:20 GMT -5
I may have seen some of the same videos that you have, Gianna. I think I get what they're doing with planting in trays. It all makes sense until I get to the point just after harvest, which is where they end the video. UM... just one more question... What do you do with that dirt and all of the roots and stems from that flat you just harvested? I certainly wouldn't want to throw the dirt away. But what would you do with all of those leftover stems and unsprouted seeds? Do you throw the whole thing on a compost pile somewhere and rotate that through a cycle in order to pull your planting soil back from that in time? I feel like I'm wanting to see this thing come full circle but am only seeing a part of the circle. Curious what you might be doing or what you'd suggest. Thanks!
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Post by Gianna on Dec 22, 2017 12:33:17 GMT -5
UM... just one more question... What do you do with that dirt and all of the roots and stems from that flat you just harvested? I certainly wouldn't want to throw the dirt away. But what would you do with all of those leftover stems and unsprouted seeds? Do you throw the whole thing on a compost pile somewhere and rotate that through a cycle in order to pull your planting soil back from that in time? I feel like I'm wanting to see this thing come full circle but am only seeing a part of the circle. Curious what you might be doing or what you'd suggest. Most of the videos are from people who sell their product and have different sanitation expectations than home growers. If I were growing to sell, I would always use fresh soil, pure water, sanitize trays, etc. But I don't grow to sell or for wide distribution, and have thus far not had any problems with my greens. Also my area has very low humidity, so not much fungal problems. After I harvest, I do reuse my soil. If it's been sunflowers, I'll scrape off the soil surface and toss the shells. IIRC, sunflower shells can have a toxic effect on soil, so out that goes. Peas, the other thing I grow, no such problem. I'll then break up with my hands the soil 'block', and the parts that need it, I'll sift through a piece of quarter inch hardware cloth (no sides to it). I don't care if I get all the leftover bits of root and stem out - it's all organic matter from healthy edible plants. If the mix has become dry as happens, I'll bag it, add some water, then keep it moist for the next batch. I'll usually wait till I have a number of containers to deal with so it's a more efficient task. If a stray seed germinates in the next round, no big deal. I do try to get my germinating trays into the light sooner. I prefer a stockier product that is more green. This produces shorter greens that take a bit more time to harvest, and probably weigh less - neither of which are desirable for market gardeners.
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poppopt
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Posts: 89
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Post by poppopt on Dec 22, 2017 14:06:07 GMT -5
Thanks, Gianna, that's helpful! And it kinda ties up the loose ends.
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Post by Gianna on Aug 3, 2019 12:01:10 GMT -5
Here are some additional 'instructions'. It's something fun to do, especially when the main garden is finished. There are a couple things to add. A really good container for growing small amounts of micros are those plastic containers you buy berries in. The ones about an inch deep with the holes in the bottom. Or just about anything you can put holes in. Or if you are careful about not overwatering, you dont really need holes since the crop is of such short duration. If you dont mind using artificial lighting, you dont need sunny windows. Or at this time of year you could do them outside... though I think some shading would be good since they are easier to pick if they grow a bit 'longer'. Again, the only two I now grow are pea and sunflower for several reasons. But you can grow many others if you have the seeds. For me most of the otehrs are too bitter tasting, but some people like that. The coles - broccoli, radish, arugula. Some people love basil, espeically the purple one for color. Those who sell their microgreens like radish because it is fast and pretty and seed inexpensive. But greens are bitter - for some that's a perk. Ick. If using small seeds, you'll need quite a few of them to produce enough of a mini forest to be worth picking and eating. Oh, and of course, only use edible seeds. Some people will sprout buckwheat , but I've seen some discussion about it having some sort of negative health issue if lots is eaten. I dont remember what. If you are not a seed saver, you'll need to buy seed. Obviously untreated. For sunflowers, some people use inexpensive bird seed. I tried that, but even with the freshest bag, I didnt get very good germination. So I buy it from places like Johnny's or another. I suppose one would be safer using organic seed. The most common variety used is black oil sunflower. For peas, any variety will do. But some have tendrils, and others dont. I got one type that had so many tendrils it was like eating hair. But the tendril ones some prefer, and make a pretty garnish. Some regular English or sugar snap or snow peas I prefer. Beans, no. They apparentlty have some sort of toxin. To plant, soak the seed over night or about 12 hours. Fill your container to the top with a seed free, moist mix of some sort. Work on a tray. When it is time, spread the seed over the surface with very close spacing, but not on top of one another. Press down and slightly water. This level should be flush with the top for easier harvest. Do no cover with soil - just not needed, and saves cleaning later. And then cover the entire surface, right on top of the seeds, with a ceramic tile, or piece of plastic with a book on top. This forces the germinating roots to go down into the mix beneath, so later harvest is much easier. The tile or book replaces the weight of soil when normally sowing seed. If you did put soil on top of the seeds, the germinating seeds carries some of that up, and it makes for a much dirtier, less sanitary product. The goal is to make a clean, easy to harvest product. Place the container with the weight on top, in the dark. A cardboard box will do. After a few days, take a peak. If the tile is being forced up but the push of the germinating seeds, remove the tile but let it all remain inthe dark for another 24 hours or so.... You want the elongation. Then bring it out into the light, and let them green up. This stage requires a bit of practice, but for seasoned gardeners is not rocket science. Harvest when desired. Dont wait too long, or they'll get tough. They can be picked and kept inthe fridge for several days. Most things you only get one picking. Peas however, if you cut above the first leaves, you can get two, or sometimes three cuttings. Sunflowers, cut before the third fuzzy leaves begin to develop - or they lose all delicacy.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Aug 3, 2019 12:22:26 GMT -5
Gianna, I wonder how mung beans would do? They make good sprouts and I have darn near a pound of them.
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Post by Gianna on Aug 3, 2019 12:42:13 GMT -5
Gianna , I wonder how mung beans would do? They make good sprouts and I have darn near a pound of them. I think you could grow them that way, and without having to constantly rinse them as with making regular sprouts. BUT! I would not eat them raw, but rather only cook them in stir fries. And I would grow them in the complete dark and not 'green them up'. There is a toxin of some sort in beans. I assume that's true of mung beans too. It's something you never see in salad mixes.
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