An open-pollinated heirloom variety, Black Oil Sunflower microgreens are a highly popular choice for microgreens. In just 8 to 12 days, these microgreens are ready to eat, at the peak of freshness and flavor.
The young shoots are large and have an even green color with some light flavorful yellowing. Sunflower Black Oil microgreens are some of sweetest and mildest available. 100 percent edible, the shoots are super crunchy with a fresh, sweet taste that's a little bit nutty. Sunflower Black Oil microgreens are best eaten raw. They add nice color, flavor, and a nutritional boost to salads, sandwiches, smoothies, avocado toast, scrambled eggs, . . . or any dish you choose. Sunflower microgreens are a nutritional powerhouse rich in protein, amino acids, calcium, fiber, and trace minerals, such as iron, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Sunflower Black Oil microgreens are so quick and super easy to grow, they're perfect for beginners. They make a great first growing experience for kids, who will also enjoy their mild flavor. Microgreens can be grown in the garden seasonally or indoors year-round, either on a bright, sunny windowsill; under an LED grow light; or in a warm greenhouse. For a continuous crop, soak seeds for 3 to 4 hours, sow seeds every 10 days, using a soil-based media, such as potting soil, or coconut coir. Harvest microgreens at the seedling stage, at about 3 to 4 inches tall, after true leaves have developed.
Sunflower Black Oil can be grown hydroponically as sprouts; however, sunflower seeds tend to grow best in soil. They can also be grown in the garden as a full-grown garden sunflower.
A Helianthus annuus variety (Asteraceae family), Black Oil sunflower seeds produce a naturally occurring oil that has a pleasant, mild, almost tasteless flavor, unlike the similarly named Black Seed Oil derived from the Nigella sativa plant (Ranunculus family), which has a pungent, bitter flavor.
If you're new to growing microgreens, be sure to check out our blogs titled, An Introduction to Microgreen Gardening and How to Get Started and Know Before You Grow: Microgreens. Also, Microgreen Gardening Ideas and Inspiration offers a few quick tips to get you started. You'll find everything you need to grow microgreens at home, on our Microgreens & Supplies page, from Bootstrap Farmer microgreens growing solutions to grow lights and heat mats.
