The Art of Growing Microgreens

[Barb_FL]

Oakley - Looks so good; Is Buckwheat the large one?
What size trays are on the left in the first picture?

Of those, what are you growing? Is the brocolli the larger of the small leaf ones?

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Finished my first 4 oz package of Mild Flavor Mix. No mishaps yet. Eating on day 10; but I would like to extend it a few days to see if the leaves get bigger.

The one tonight is the spicy mix.

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When I bought the hydroponic kit and none of the trays have holes in that kit. I had some trays of my own with holes but nothing large. I'm waiting for a Black Friday / Cyber Monday deal before buying new ones. I want sturdy ones too.

Here is what I ended up doing:
1. 10X20 daisy tray (carrying tray)
2. One of their 10X20 non hole tray
3. another 10X20 daisy tray with a screen liner inserted into the 10x20 non-hole tray. Screen needed so mix doesn't fall through the large gaps.
4. Then spread, seed, and cover as normal.

So far so good.

[oakley]

Buckwheat is the large one. Fast grower! Heart shaped leaves on pale
pink stems. A favorite. I would not grow it in a mix. It shades
all the rest in the mix and stunts them, especially under lights.
Fast grower, delicious, and under 8 bucks a pound?, I'm in!

I only use 1010 trays. Square. 5x5 inserts fit four in the 10x10's.
(duh, lol)
Crap thin. Like the thinnest nursery pots. I'm a bit grumpy towards the
sellers that sell sprout and micro green kits and supplies...these products
are meant to use over and over but they
are over-priced junk. The clear clamshells from the grocery work
so much better than those. (I got my clamshells from a caterer
that was headed to the dumpster with a big stack.)

The 1010's, solid bottom and slit/perforated bottom for drainage
are from Amazon and very sturdy.

In the 5x5's I'm growing basil, cilantro, arugula, and celery.
Also, broccoli, chard, three kales, vates, red Russian, and a 'kale'
*some other I don't much care for I'm just using up sample seed
packages.

I get different results depending on the season. Raining today and
it is a bit damp downstairs. I had some dampening off in one of
the mixed salad trays so I have a peroxide/soap spray handy.
A south sunny window in the dry kitchen is ideal if I had it.
And easy to check on them. They grow so fast that they can droop
in a mater of hours once up and growing. Really thirsty at about
the two inch phase of life.
72º in the kitchen, 62º downstairs.

*another grumpy note. I want to know the variety. Not just 'kale'.
One seller seems to think, "oh don't worry your pretty little head
about variety, ...we know best".

I don't like a particular variety of 'pea'. Woody stalks, not edible.
I've saved the packets with notes and will not order from them again.

[oakley]

oh. You don't really 'need' the drainage trays. Yet I like to bottom
water downstairs in a sheet tray. No sink handy. I can't easily just
dump a soggy over-watered tray.

Those with much more experience, and sell to market, have all their
systems worked out and have found what works best in their
environment by trial and error.

[oakley]

Here is that batch at 17 days. Filled out nice and was perfect for
Thanksgiving. The herbs were just barely snipped so they are still
growing and were used all last week.
All about timing. Seems everything needs a week longer than
summer grown but that's fine. Have more started and will start again
a few trays to hit the Christmas target for my sister.

[oakley]

So, here are the recent trays. Four days in the kitchen where it is warmer....better for germination. Nearly lost the two trays being
bone dry this morning...oops. Downstairs where it is cooler but at
the stage of 6-7 days, they get very thirsty.

Always something. Good learning experience. Had to use the ol'
trench trays I was using last Spring. All trays are full and need to
clean and start a few more to hit Christmas on target.

My sister should make it home after 2 months back and forth
PuertoRico. She is a total plant eater so a nice gift it will be....she deserves it.

[akgardengirl]

Oakley, I am getting ready to start seeds. I understand that they germinate with a cover on until they sprout. Do they go under the lights once that happens and if so, how close are your lights to the top of the greens?
Thanks

[oakley]

Originally Posted by akgardengirl

Oakley, I am getting ready to start seeds. I understand that they germinate with a cover on until they sprout. Do they go under the lights once that happens and if so, how close are your lights to the top of the greens?
Thanks

Oh good, take pics for your later reference. And/or date your trays.

All seeds/plants are different so different germination rates. I can tell by size
of seed about how long they need cover...just like tom starts. Or how fresh
they are. Some of my mixes are about a year old but still do fine.

I did the stack of 4 trays in the kitchen for not only warmer temps but I can
keep an eye on them easier. Also near the sink for a last top spray with the
light shower setting on the head. All bottom watering down stairs.

Yes, I go right under lights for most. 6inches to 18 is fine unlike toms. I go
ahead and keep them close for extra warmth. They all take turns on my
single heat mat. Especially the slow growers like the herbs.

Peas and sunflower really do like some extra time covered and under weight.
You can see the one tray I let peek out under the one on the left. It is a mix
of pea and buckwheat.

On top of the stack in this pic is a full tray of arugula. I've been using, and
re-using plastic hair bonnets...the ones with elastic. (we use them over our
big bowl for proofing bread dough). Super cheap in packs of 100.
I did have a magazine on top for dark germination first couple days.
If I grow start to finish downstairs I just use whatever to cover. I have some
10x10inch squares of styrofoam, etc. (I have to navigate a spiral staircase
and a long skinny hallway to get the trays downstairs to the grow room)

I probably posted this before, but CurtisStone has a few videos that are
very helpful as he explains very well his trials and failures. He really should
be bottom watering some of his more delicate seedlings like arugula. But
for market and selling, time is a factor. Like him, I'm still testing and trailing
new methods and different varieties, even after a few years of growing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSKd030QoV0

I have 12 trays going now in all stages but will go back to 4-6 after the
NewYear.

[oakley]

The arugula and the 'spicy mix' I like to grow a bit beyond the
'micro' stage. You can see in this pic a seed variety in the under-
story is not getting the light it needs. (the problem with mixes)
A few times I have cut and the slow growing seed will continue
but once a cutting happens a chance of getting mold may happen.

(that is Kombucha going through second fermentation with fresh
ginger and golden beets above...and wine vinegar fermenting)

[akgardengirl]

Thanks for the info. You have quite a production going on there. I really like kombucha but have only tasted the commercial ones. Getting started this morning on micro greens.
Sue

[Barb_FL]

Thanks for all your info. I'm going strong with this; ordered a seed package from TrueLeaf - (great communication this time, and fast delivery). Went with TL b/c I'm still a newbie and their prices are cheap; plus I've have excellent germination.

I also have been experimenting with covers, and my ONLY batch that I threw out had cardboard (from a box) on top. Thought it had to due with humidity so stopped using cardboard.

For the narrow sizes I use the planting cells; and I have a tray of 6 (never used) that I am using now over a big tray.

My experiment with the daisy trays with screen worked well especially the first tray. I started one again with just brocolli.

For growing, I think I like the clear plastic trays best from other food. The one that had a ring of shrimp is really a good size and depth. My DH salad tray is really deep so we shall see how that fairs.

What I found that growing on the mats that came with my original kit produces shorter greens. I even let them grow longer and finally got some real leaves. Just short.

Finally, I also ordered composting worms to eat what's left of the microgreens. Will probably need to go aways from ProMix due to perlite(mixing with coir or WonderSoil now). I use to have composting worms for 3+ years stopped a year ago due to an earwig infestation that I could not get ahead of even with separating the worms and letting the lizards chomp the earwigs. Lizards love the earwigs and have a feeding frenzy.

[akgardengirl]

Wow Barb, you have a production going also. I like here about your fawn and flora down in FL which is so completely opposite of what I have here!

[oakley]

Next plan is switching to these containers soon. Definitely after the NewYear. Costco has them, 25 for 10 bucks. Super sturdy and way better than anything you can buy from a seed/garden supplier. Dishwasher safe/microwave safe. About 5x7inch. Free is good.

I have a big stack from one of the work offices that uses a lunch delivery service that uses them. Just noticed them at Costco. Also on Amazon.
Back to using cotton t-shirt bottom wicking. The roots seem to really like it. I need to bottom water to avoid excess moisture this time of year. Lots of rain and gray skies....very humid.

They stack nicely for germination. Then the lid becomes a drainage tray. Just need to drill out the four corners of the black trays. I'll do that for my work buddies so they can get going.

I'll be able to bring up a few at a time at harvest, onto the kitchen shelf just above my prep/chopping area and snip fresh.

[akgardengirl]

Good find! I'll check out my Costco to see if they carry them. I was thinking about trays first thing this morning and wondering about my set up which is far from being efficient.
Sue

[Barb_FL]

We don't have Cosco here - boo hoo. But followed your great idea and ordered a 15 pack from Walmart to be delivered to the store.

No germination on the Buckwheat. I soaked them for 12 hours and then rinsed a few times, planted and topped with more mix. Only did half that way because I soaked so many. For set 2, I kept in a colander and soaked another 12 hours, etc and then planted. The first set is on day 3 and the 2nd set on 1+ day. I'm not use to slow germination. Did I do anything wrong? Should I have had some germination upon planting.

Still have the other big ones (Peas and SunFlowers) that I could try.

I had DH take a picture of my best Microgreens yet. Will post when I get it.

[oakley]

Barb, the trays in the pics above, started Nov 26th, I did not soak.
Too busy to bother. But they were stacked in the kitchen the first
4 days and were well tended being right in-front-of-my-face, lol,
and always in the way. Started harvesting the buckwheat last night,

I'll start some of the food service trays Saturday and will let you know if
I find some easy tricks for making drainage. As I have a stack of free ones
to trial.