Microgreens: The Superfood You Can Grow at Home
Indoor gardening is satisfying, healthy, and great for beginners, too.
Microgreens are young plants that are harvested just a few weeks after germination. They are smaller than baby greens but larger than sprouts, and are often used as a garnish or in salads, smoothies, and sandwiches. Microgreens come in a variety of colors and flavors. Seeds that are often grown as microgreens include romaine lettuce, beets, and radish.
Are Microgreens Better for Me?
Studies have shown that microgreens are not only delicious, but also highly nutritious. In fact, they can contain up to 40 times more vitamins and minerals than their fully grown counterparts! They are also rich in antioxidants, which can help protect against chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Popular Types of Microgreens to Grow
There are so many varieties to choose from. It’s fun to rotate through the list to find your favorites. But if you know you like the flavor of basil, you’ll like it as a microgreen, too.
Our favorites include snap pea, cilantro, spinach, beet, romaine, radish, pepper cress, and coriander.
Sow Effortless™ Makes Growing Microgreens, Well ... So Effortless!
Using the Sow Effortless Collection, you can simplify growing microgreens even more. These customized tools, that can include a BPA-free, reusable plastic growing kit with dome and seed mats, allow you to moisten the mat, place in the dome, cover, spritz with water to maintain moisture, and watch them grow!
How to Grow Microgreens
It’s easy to get started, you just need a few basic supplies:
- Seeds: Choose high-quality, organic seeds from a reputable supplier like Park Seed.
- Soil: Use a high-quality seed sprouting soil or a soilless growing medium such as coconut coir; Containers: You can use anything from seed trays to plastic containers with drainage holes.
- Light: Microgreens need plenty of light, so either place them near a sunny window or use grow lights.
- Water: Water your microgreens regularly, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged.
Steps to Grow Microgreens
Soak Bio Dome plugs in water, place in tray. Drop 1-2 seeds in each pre-drilled hole. Water from the bottom tray. The Bio Dome plugs will absorb what they need.
Otherwise, you can fill your container with soil, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Sprinkle your seeds evenly over the soil surface. Cover the seeds, if the seed packet indicates covering, with a thin layer of soil or vermiculite. Water the soil gently with a spray bottle or watering can.
Place your Bio Dome or container in a sunny location or under grow lights.
Keep the soil moist by watering every few days.
After as little as two weeks (and up to 4 weeks and depending on seed type and conditions), your microgreens should be ready to harvest!
How to Harvest Microgreens
When your microgreens are about 1-2 inches tall, it's time to harvest them. Use a sharp pair of scissors to snip off the leaves just above the soil line. Rinse the microgreens thoroughly in cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within a few days.
Delicious and easy, too, growing microgreens is a rewarding way to boost your nutrition and add some fresh, tasty greens to your diet. With just a few basic supplies and some patience, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of these superfoods right from home.
