Creating and Growing

Microgreens are a great way to get started in gardening. They are relatively inexpensive, and the rewards in terms of nutrition are huge. The very first thing you need to do when you want to grow microgreens is to figure out what to grow. Here is a short starter list:

Mesclun Mix- Mesclun mix if you are not familiar already is a blend of lettuce seeds. Lettuce of different varieties grows roughly at the same rate, give or take a few days. This will become a staple product for you because it literally is your entire salad base.

Rambo Radish – Most varieties of radish are ready to harvest in about 5 days. Radish microgreens add a lot of flavor and a huge nutritional punch. They are super easy to grow. Sprinkle evenly over the soil in a tray lightly cover with soil ( no more than 1/8″ deep) mist with some water, place another tray on top and place a weight of up to 15 lbs. Mist twice a day for the first couple of days. You will see sprouts, Flip the top tray to create a dome effect and continue to keep them moist. Harvest when they have reached your desired height. The reason for creating the dome effect is it will cause your microgreens to grow straight up rather than becoming leggy. I degrees, subject for another day.

Broccoli Microgreens – This microgreen is just amazing when it comes to its nutritional benefits. Broccoli has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth, it is one of the most powerful cruciferous vegetables. In an earlier blog post, I go into detail on how wonderful this plant is for your health. The blog title is ” Microgreens and Helping Prevent Cancer”. The microgreen of broccoli is 40x more nutritionally dense than adult vegetables. This microgreen does take 12 to 14 days to harvest, but well worth the wait.

Sunflower Sprouts – Of course like other microgreens, these little guys are full of vitamins and minerals far superior to their adult full-grown counterparts. This sunflower sprout is full of a fresh nutty flavor you are sure to enjoy. It only takes 3 days from planting to harvest. The little catch with this seed is you will get your best results by presoaking the seeds for up to but not more than 12 hours prior to planting. I usually get up in the morning of the day of planting and start the soak. Because I am in Florida, I wait until late evening to plant those seeds.

Red Amaranth AKA Red Garnet- This is a bright-colored microgreen without a whole lot of flavor. It has great nutritional value but mainly chose to grow this microgreen for its vibrate red appearance. It is also super easy to grow. From planting to harvest about 5 days.

Arugula – once again like virtually all leafy green vegetables this microgreen is full of nutrition, and it is full of that nutty distinctive arugula flavor. Pretty easy to grow. Treat it just like lettuce. Keep it moist and in 6 to 8 days you will be ready to harvest.