The Art of Growing Microgreens

[MuddyToes]

Originally Posted by Deborah

I just thought of something. Wouldn't they be great in omelets?

Yes!

[NarnianGarden]

With increasing sunshine, I need to sow some seeds too for microgreens. perhaps rootbeets or radishes I love them all.
I got plenty of those little plastic containers with 'domes' from supermarket, cherry tomatoes and grapes come in them.

[oakley]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I did not have the room and the apparatus to grow MICRO greens indoor. Now that weather is improving
in my location, I am growing MACRO greens. Salad greens are germinating in the cold frame. Tomorrow I will direct sow radish and spinach. Chives are growing already.

Maybe next year/winter months. I'm having greens/salads every meal. No need to wait for Spring. The space of a 10-20 tray or two using your seed starting set-up or a sunny south window can keep you in healthy good greens all winter...or the heat of July/Aug

[NarnianGarden]

Oakley, I just saw pictures .. as someone who grew up on sourdough rye bread, I get all hungry when I look at your photos
So glad to see that some Americans appreciate that - it's an aquired taste I guess..

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by oakley

Maybe next year/winter months. I'm having greens/salads every meal. No need to wait for Spring. The space of a 10-20 tray or two using your seed starting set-up or a sunny south window can keep you in healthy good greens all winter...or the heat of July/Aug

Sounds like good suggestion for next winter. I can use my seedling grow system.

Yesterday I sowed radishes and spinach.
Mesclun is growing in cold frame. Each seed type looks different in size.
Sofar they just have cot leaves. Few more cold nights down to 32 and then lows should jump up to 40s and 50s. Then I;ll watch them grow then transplant in the garden.

[KimchiMonger]

I decided to try and grow black oil sunflower seeds and mix into a salad. Used a disposable aluminum cooking tray with an inch of Dr. Earth Vegetable Garden Mix. Soaked black oil sunflower seeds (Kroger bird feed brand) in a mason jar completely filled with water. Rinsed the next morning and turned jar with draining lid upside down for the day. That night I rinsed again and immediately poured seeds over the soil. Pressed lightly with a second tray on top to maximize soil and seed contact. Left tray on top of seeds with a couple of bananas for weight for two days. Third day I took top tray off and placed under growing light. On one day, I placed tray outdoors in patio with indirect sunlight.

Yesterday I cut off enough to mix into a tomato and vinaigrette oil salad. Delicious! Looking forward to sprouting other seeds real soon!

Below is a shot of my first week harvest which grew out well and made for a great salad. Really good stuff! Some of my online searches and reading brought up this vitamin combination within the little green sprouts:

Within the black oil sunflower seed microgreen are the following vitamins and minerals in varying amounts:

Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B15, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin F, Vitamin H, Vitamin K, Choline, Folic Acid, Inositol, PABA, Calcium, Cobalt, Copper, Flourine, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous, Potassium, Selenium, Silicon, Sodium, Sulphur and Zinc.

[MuddyToes]

Congrats KM! Tasty aren't they? I have found they need very little soil. I put half an inch of soil in my last batch and they came up just fine. I'm going to try a batch with coco coir media next.

[MuddyToes]

I've got Kamut sprouting on the kitchen counter right now. I promised my son pizza this week.

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2017/February%202017/16%20February%202017%20Lentil%20Smoothie/HTML/ 16 February 2017 Lentil Smoothie
Lentils are readily sprouted in about three days. Soak 1/4 cup in water for 24 hours, place in sprouting basket and change water about twice per day and in three days the lentils sprout. Only small shoots are required to release nutrients. The sprouts are placed in a blender and mixed with juices into a smoothie. In this batch I used, mixed vegetable, tomato, apple, and concord grape. I drink about two glasses per day. A new batch is made every morning.Lentils were chosen due to being low cost, readily available, and they sprout readily. Other sprouts of choice may be used.

[oakley]

Looks good. They all look good. I mix mine up as well. Almost always ginger and tumeric root, then whatever i have...apple, grapefruit, lime, carrot, beet, beet greens, celery, tomato i have stocked now.
Unfortunately i have to freeze batches in juice containers. But fortunately we have the same set up at work every morning. A make-your-own bar.

Still experimenting with various micro mixes. Getting close to two to keep going in
rotation. Salad mixes. Those pesky helmut heads,
I'd like to find something red for my spicy mix but RedRambo is four times the price as
something like basic Daikon.
The pesky helmut head sunflower is in my meaty mix so that limits the pesky picking
being 1/5 th.

I'm liking both peas, being different grow times...the dwarf field one is more tender but the other is frilly, more tendrils.

Loosing patience with the slow growers like chard, cilantro, celery. Gorgeous and great flavor but need a schedule if i want to keep it in rotation.

Goal is the two salads, and the peas. Trying to keep it simple.

[oakley]

Soil choices.

I've tried a few over the past few years. From 'whatever i have' to various starting mixes.
Recently the ProCoir. Strange when first wetted, but after 24 hours and slightly dry it is
maybe my favorite now. Good thing i like it as i have a stack of bricks. Less dusty and
no soil gnats. (so far).

[KimchiMonger]

We threw a handful into sandwiches with cheese and cold cuts. Great texture and flavor! This evening filled another mason jar with water and seeds for next batch. Yep, we loved it.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by oakley

Just like any seed starting, drainage is key. Not sure if you were watching 'sprouts' or wakening of seeds in water for sprouting. The problems with the sprouting method
using water rinses on the counter is the possible contamination, a 'microbial soup', where seeds are in a moist environment for a few days at a temp that multiplies any contaminants. 'Microbial load'. Your wet environment cannot keep up with the extra moisture. Increased air flow, (fan), helps.

My environment has quickly become more humid with temps outside 45 a few days and snow melting, overcast...then my watering tray had standing water i missed, many trays watered at the same time increases air moisture...attention is key to keep those levels balanced. More plants growing, more moisture in the air. Letting seedlings dry out helps others.

I soak mixed grains for 24 hours to see the seeds just barely begin to sprout for a brown bread i make and i make a sprouted grain salad almost every Sunday. This is a cooked mixed grain. In fact made one last night. Once the seeds/grain/beans just barely begin to become a plant, tiny opening of the seed, i cook like any rice. It is considered easier to digest. Having it with shrimp tonight.

Anywho, seeds have what they need in their seed 'suitcase' to sprout once moisture is introduce. They do fine on their own food for micro greens. Mine, i've mentioned, are growing into baby salad greens and very healthy. Just not eating/using fast enough.

The trays i grew in the South window was in another home with a wood fired cookstove also used for heat. Very dry environment. A failure tray once may not be the same another time. Just no standing water.

Can you post your brown bread recipe? Maybe we should have a recipe thread for sprouted grains and seeds.
I will have to try the sprouted cooked grain when my mint gets to growing and I start msking tabouli!

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

Am I the only one for whom arugula tastes & smells like skunk?
Nan

I get that taste too if it's been grown while too hot.

[oakley]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Can you post your brown bread recipe? Maybe we should have a recipe thread for sprouted grains and seeds.
I will have to try the sprouted cooked grain when my mint gets to growing and I start msking tabouli!

I just made Falafel with some sprouted grain, shallot, fresh mushroom...added to soaked fav bean and chick peas...the usual spices. Baked, not fried. Served with cucumber salsa and homemade hummus. Naan. Lettuce cups for a gluten-free friend.
Now working on a brown bread for her. (wish me luck)

I'll be making another batch of brown bread soon. Still have a loaf in the freezer. Need some notes added to the recipe. About rinsing the grains, etc.

Found this pic from making a batch at my parents home. I left them with mixed grain kits, a DanishDoughWhisk, a set of four small loaf pans, and easy directions.
Nice thing is the sprouted grains can be any on hand. It is a nice wet dough so very flexible. Nice crumb.