You may be surprised at how easy and how well you can grow microgreens indoors.
A ton of fresh, nourishing food can be grown in tiny containers without gardening skills whatsoever. If you have a sunny window, a bit of space, and an interest in eating super healthy, this is a fun and easy way to get that.
You can buy fresh microgreens online, or you can grow them yourself. Microgreens are wonderful for salads, sandwiches, and wraps. They’re especially nice stir-fry ingredients.
space is not a big issue when it comes to growing microgreens indoors. If you plant them right, you can grow multiple veggies in a limited space. Microgreens are one of them and you can grow them by reading this blog post till the end.
please let me know in the comments section how much do you like this information on how to grow microgreens indoors?
Which microgreen you can grow?
The common microgreen which you can grow indoors are basil, sunflowers, flax, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, mustard, peas, parsley, etc. there are several options to choose from. You can pick one and start growing as you like.
A little maintenance is required for their growth but ensures that the outcome would be great. Ensure that microgreens get enough sun and the soil should be moist every time.
What type of microgreen are not safe to grow?
As this article is on microgreens, it becomes mandatory to let you know guys that there are some microgreens that are not safe for consumption. the list of these microgreens are tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant.
if you tend to grow these vegetables as microgreen then it can make you sick. The particular reason for that is these vegetables have harmful pigments in their stem which are not good for your well-being.
Growing Microgreens Indoors
It is very easy to grow microgreens indoors. Just put some potting soil in a seedling tray or container. Make certain that the tray or container whatever you are using to grow microgreens should have drainage holes in the bottom. Scatter the seeds on the soil, don’t care for overcrowding. cover the seeds with a thin layer of the soil and keep the soil moist.
Things you will need to grow microgreen indoors:
Tray / Container
For the best results, grow microgreens in shallow trays using nutrient-rich organic soil or sand. This can be a tray specifically designed for growing microgreens. There are many options out there, and you may want to check out these containers that will also be good for growing microgreens.
Salad containers. Mushroom containers. Milk cartons. Takeout meal containers. Even if you don’t make a lot of these types of containers, I bet you know someone who does. Make sure to add drainage holes if necessary.
Microgreen Seeds
Always select high-quality seeds to grow microgreens.These seeds are easily available at the store. Now some companies are providing microgreen seeds in a unique mix that grows well together and provides high-value nutrition.
Potting Soil
To get your plants growing well, potting soil is mandatory. However, microgreens don’t require fertilized soil to grow but it simply doesn’t mean that you should grow them in regular garden soil.
A high-quality potting mix has better water drainage than normal soil. Also, you can get potting soil easily in nearby local nursery.
Alternatively, you can grow microgreens without soil. But the taste would be different than grown in soil. In my opinion, don’t compromise with taste.
Water Can
For watering purposes you can buy water can to sprinkle water on the soil.
Procedure:
First, spread a wet paper towel at the bottom of the tray. In the case of a container, you can skip this step. The purpose of the paper towel is to stop the mix from falling through.
Second, fill the container or tray with high-Quality potting soil.
Third, Sprinkle the seeds of the microgreens which you want to grow on the soil.
Then, cover the seed with a thin layer of potting soil. To prevent the plants from additional diseases, sprinkle some cinnamon powder on the surface.
Now, its time to water the seeds. you can use a water can for this purpose. Moist the soil surface through water but do not overwater to make it soggy.
Lastly, place the container in a sunny place. It can be a window sill or wherever they can get direct sunlight as they are fast-growing plants.
Important Factors for better growth of microgreens indoors
there are several factors that are responsible for the growth of microgreens indoors. These factors include temperature, water, and sunlight.
Temperature
Microgreen requires 70 degrees Fahrenheit for the process of germination. Although room temperatures are the best for germination and setting up the seeds. You can use some artificial arrangements to regulate the temperatures according to the weather.
For instance, during the cold season when the temperature falls below 50° F you can use a heat mat and place it under the seedling tray. Moreover, the information related to temperatures will be printed on the packet of seeds.
Water
Do not let the seedlings remain thirsty for long time, especially during summer days. Try to water your greens regularly. Your greens in the container must be moist but not soggy.
Keep an eye on your green and check the water requirements. You can simply check it by placing your finger in the soil. If it feels dry, water the plant thoroughly.
Sunlight
If you want to grow microgreens indoors with full potential, make them accessible to the sunlight. choose a location for your greens so that they can feed on sunlight for about 6 hours a day. Rotate your container after every few days so the plant grows evenly from every side.
In case, you don’t rotate the container regularly then the seedlings on the side getting maximum sunlight will grow faster than the ones getting less sunlight exposure.
Maintenance
Plants also do like attention similar to humans. your attention will make them happy and grow to full potential. All they need is a little care and maintenance. It includes regular watering, regular sunlight while rotating the container every few days, and maintaining the suitable temperature range. Moreover, there is no need to feed the microgreens with fertilizers as their growing period is short.
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What’s the difference between microgreens and sprouts?
You’ll see why microgreens are the perfect food for your body and grow them indoors. You can consume the entire plant here.
We grow sprouts in a jar without soil, and you grow pulses without soil as well. Sprouts are not something you’d normally eat, while you might eat other vegetables that you find in a sprout.
To grow microgreens, you must use only the highest quality ingredients, including specialty sprouting seeds, and only grow in a humid environment.
You can grow microgreens without soil, but we recommend growing them in soil here for ease. With microgreens, you focus on sprouting greens that you would normally eat—you just do it on a mini-scale. Since you are only eating the aerial parts of the plant (the parts that grow above the soil line), you don’t have to worry quite as much about sanitation and seed cleanliness as you would with sprouting.
There’s no one size fits all method when growing greens, but there are some general guidelines for how much water to give them. Cabbage, kale, and spinach are more delicate so they should be watered once a week for the first three weeks. Green leafy crops can also be grown in large pots and overwatered, so check the soil to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
How many hours of light do microgreens need?
There are different varieties of microgreens, and they all grow best in different conditions, but if you have sunlight, your microgreens should grow nicely. If not, a grow light is an excellent supplement.
Our shaded house has two 6′ x 24′ grow light panels and two 4′ x 12′ gooseneck grow lights. Both these types of grow lights work very well for growing microgreens (and houseplants).
Can you grow microgreens outdoors?
What if I told you that you could grow microgreens without soil? And even better: what if I told you that you don’t need any pots, trays, or tools? Here’s how to do it!
To get quick results, the best alternative to dirt is using hydroponic growing mats or coconut coir.
How long does it take to grow microgreens?
You can grow microgreens in as little as 10 days. Some seeds need a little more time to germinate, but in general, the 10-12 day mark is the ideal time to harvest microgreens. For more reference, you can watch the following video.
What are the health benefits of microgreens?
Microgreens are incredibly nutritious and delicious. They’re so tiny that they have up to 40 times the impact of their mature plant cousins. 40 TIMES!
Another great example is that microgreens from red cabbage seeds have 40 times more vitamin E and six times more vitamin C than full-grown red cabbage. Crazy, right?
Thanks for Reading. Happy Gardening.