Micro-gardening: Growing and using microgreens

June 15, 10:05 AMPhiladelphia Home Gardening ExaminerMelissa Miles

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Microgreens                                                        Photo credit:  ilovemypit flikr

Microgreens are the highly nutritious, but immature stage (between sprouts and leafy greens) of vegetables, herbs and some edible flowers.  Though small, they are big on flavor and can be grown with ease - even on a windowsill - providing apartment dwellers, and others with limited space, a great 'gardening' option.  Microgreens are basically houseplants you can eat!

Popular microgreens are peas, kale, cabbage, arugula, radishes, beets, clover, and mustard. Not much light is required to grow microgreens because they’re not going to be grown to flower, only germinated until the emergence of the first leaf (the cotyledon) stage, so a windowsill or sunny kitchen counter is a perfect spot. 

Each microgreen (just like each vegetable or herb) has a unique flavor, and it can be fun to grow your own microgreen blend.  Be aware that if you choose a blend of microgreens, it's important to plant those that have similar germination rates together so you can harvest your bounty all at once.

To get started micro-gardening you will need:

• shallow trays with clear domed lids (available at garden supply stores)
• potting soil
• seeds
• paper towels
• a water source
• scissors to cut greens at 'harvest time'
• a small household fan (optional) to dry out harvested greens

Steps to planting and harvesting:

1. create a seed bed by filling trays with soil (be sure the soil is spread uniformly and that the surface is flat)
2. sow seeds by taking handfuls of seed and sprinkling them liberally across the soil surface (then, press gently on sown seeds to be sure they have contact with the growing medium)
3. place a paper towel over the seed bed (1 layer thick)
4. water (use a kitchen sprayer if available - a spray bottle works well too) and thoroughly soak the towels until you are sure the soil beneath is wet
5. cover trays with lids and place in a location that is not exposed to direct sunlight
6. once the seeds fully germinated (germination rate varies based on seed type used) - you will see the towel starting to lift off the soil when this happens - remove lids and paper towels from tray and place the tray in a location that gets (indirect) sunlight
7. continue to water gently, once a day, or as needed (remember that over-watering can be just as damaging as drying out plants!)
8. harvest microgreens any time after the emergence of cotyledons by cutting the stems with sharp kitchen scissors
9. wash greens by placing them in a container (a small, plastic dish pan is good for this purpose)
10. dry greens by placing them on a towel (using a small fan on low speed can make drying time faster) and fluff them a few times during this process.
11. use your microgreens immediately, or store them in a resealable bag in the refrigerator

Caution:  The lids will help keep moisture in and stimulate germination, but make sure that the paper towel stays moist during the process.  Because lids create a 'green house effect' monitor trays - if it seems it's getting too hot inside, move the lid slightly to allow for ventilation. 

Microgreens are a great base for, or addition to, salads - see my recipe for Microgreen salad with orange champagne vinegar and shaved Piave cheese