If you are looking for growing tips on indoor plants in your home or office, look no further. You can learn how to grow microgreens without soil using hydroponic methods. This includes instructions on the best nutrients and equipment to use for a successful growing experience. Our Growing Microgreens Without Soil blog has all the information on growing microgreens in containers without the need for soil.
Growing plants in small pots is fun and healthy! You can use small pots or mini gardens to grow herbs or microgreens without soil. This gives you the opportunity to grow them where they are most suitable for you. you can actually grow microgreens without using soil. You can use them in salads, soups, sandwiches, and more.
Microgreens are becoming more and more popular these days. well, there is the reason behind it also. The first one is that they are highly nutritious. microgreen supply quality and quantity of nutrients. Secondly, garnishing microgreens on the top of the dishes makes your dish delicious and picture-perfect.
Reasons Why you should Grow Microgreens Hydroponically Indoors
As an indoor gardener – time, space, and money affect the type of plants to be grown indoors. So we try to choose the plants which are easy to grow and harvest without creating any mess. And microgreens are one of them.
It is easier to grow them in water:
First, Microgreens are fast-growing plants that need less space and grow with little maintenance. When you grow microgreens without soil indoors – cleanliness, low cost, and beautiful productive plants are the outcomes. You can easily harvest microgreens within a couple of weeks.
Although, it becomes easy to grow microgreens in water as it can directly absorb oxygen and other nutrients from the water. If you want you can add some fertilizers to the water to make it more healthy. Also, growing microgreens in water it eliminates the fuss of handling soil.
in addition, it doesn’t means that growing microgreen in the soil is a bad idea. In quality soil the plant gets ample amount of water and nutrition that enhances the taste of your fresh greens.
Due to a busy schedule:
Second, the reason for growing microgreens indoors is that if you have a hectic schedule and you always forget to water your plants then growing them indoors is the best option that you go for. If you grow them indoors you can give them proper care and attention while doing normal household chores instead of going out especially to water the plants.
Nutritious Value of Microgreens:
Third, you will amaze to know that the nutritious value of microgreen will be way more than the grown veggies of the same plant. The quality and quantity of nutrition is very high which we obtain from microgreen from that of the same grown vegetable. microgreens are highly rich in ascorbic acids, carotenoids, and vitamins. Microgreens are one of the most nutrient-packed foods. According to a study, microgreens are 4 -40 times more nutritious than fully grown plants.
Year-Round Growth
Hydroponic gardening works well indoors, allowing you to grow microgreens year-round instead of depending on warm weather.
Maximizes Space
You can use a hydroponic grow system to maximize space. The small size means that you can grow microgreens anywhere. You don’t need a large space to grow microgreens, but it does require a good setup.
Supplies you need to grow microgreens without water at home
First, let’s discuss all the supplies you’ll need to get started growing microgreens without soil at your home.
Seeds – You’ll first need seeds, you can buy those from any of the above sources or online retailers, Amazon, etc. The main thing to remember when buying your own indoor growing equipment is that we want to grow only microgreens, so ensure they are not treated with any kind of artificial products. You can buy seeds in a variety of options here on Amazon.
Growing Medium – Even if you aren’t using soil, you still need some sort of medium that can hold the seeds in place as they germinate. Mediums are known as substrates that provide support to the roots of seeds while growing hydroponically. there are many options to consider as a growing medium for microgreens while growing hydroponically.
It’s hard to say what I would recommend, but I would go for coconut coir or hemp growing mat – both these types of mats are great for growing microgreens. Many people select coconut coir because it’s cheap and easily available. On the other hand hemp growing mats, are easier to use and less messy, but cost more money.
Another option could be clay pebbles and vermiculite. both are known for their water-retaining ability when exposed to water. You can go choose from them too.
Growing Trays – You’ll need a tray to grow your microgreens. You can use any tray you can find in your home or office maybe. It should be around 1.5 inches to 2 inches deep and around 20 * 10 inches should be the length and width respectively.
For a tray that you can grow in your home, try to use one that’s leakproof. If you can’t find a tray that’s leakproof, check out this tray.
Test kit – To make sure your water is at the right pH, a test kit will come in handy. You need a pH testing kit to measure the pH of your water, and then after testing, you can use that information to adjust the pH of your water to make sure it’s right for your growing environment.
Light – After 4-5 days we’ll need light for them to grow and start the photosynthesis process. You can either get some good LED to grow lights or use direct sunlight. If you get good sunlight in your balcony or kitchen, there’s no need to get an LED to grow light.
Related:
6 Microgreen That You Can Grow In Your Kitchen
Growing Microgreens Without Soil Step By Step
A great starter kit for those interested in starting a microgreens garden, or anyone who wants to grow their own vegetables. This package includes certified organic, non-GMO microgreens seeds that can grow hydroponically. And, it’s packaged with 2 plant trays, one that holds the growing tray, and the other acts as a blackout cover.
Grow trays are filled with microgreens in a water solution called water that grows plants in soil-less conditions using mineral-rich water. You’ll love these microgreens, and they’re easy to grow and maintain, but if you want to up your microgreens game you can also grow them hydroponically.
Your tray needs to be the right size. You’ll want to add enough water to your tray so that when you put the grow pad in, it’s fully saturated.
A few minutes is all you need. Wait for the water to be evenly dampened across the pad. Plant your seeds so that they cover the whole surface area of the pad, but don’t overlap each other.
It’s easy to use a spray bottle to spray your seeds with water. Add the remaining seed trays to the top to help them hold more humidity.
Going forward, mist the tops of your seeds every 12 hours. If you don’t have a windowsill that receives direct sunlight, a plant grow light may be helpful to give your plants enough light. After sprouting, your microgreens should receive at least 8 hours of direct light each day.
You’ll need to water your plants daily. After the pads are dry, you should pour water into the bottom tray and swirl it around until the pads are damp. Wait a few minutes to let the water drain out and then refill the bottom tray.
Microgreens are typically ready to harvest around 10 days. Use clean scissors to cut them off the grow mat. You can compost the used mat. HYDROPONIC GARDENING KIT. This sectional hydroponics kit (used in the demo) is ideal for growing different microgreen varieties in a single 10×20 tray.
Which Microgreens Grow Best Hydroponically?
You can find several microgreens that grow best in a hydroponic environment. Here are some examples: amaranth, basil, broccoli, curly cress, kale, mustard, radish, salad mix, turnip, and more
Final Thoughts
My final thought on this article is that there are many different ways to grow microgreens without soil. You just need to choose a growing medium that can support the varieties you want.
It doesn’t matter which method you use to grow microgreens, as long as it’s easy, fast, and fun for you. Try growing them in soil, using hydroponic grow media or growing kits.
It may be true that soil typically yields a better crop, but I still grow microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers by using a hydroponic system. With some practice, you can start your own indoor garden, just like me.
You can have a very nutritionally-dense vegetable and herb harvest no matter the method you choose. Good luck growing!