Anyone Else Growing Microgreens? - Page 3

Granite26 · April 12, 2013

biscgolf - what have you found to be a good growing medium and do you fertilize? This sounds pretty interesting. Also would be interested if your chef's have a preferred size (2-3"?).

Anyone growing for market care to share how you package and how you price? Feel free to pm.
Thanks!

BucksCountyGirl · April 12, 2013

I grow them indoors in the winter along with my sprout mixes. My favorite are sunflower greens. Surprisingly sweet and nutty tasting! I get all of my sprouting/microgreens supplies from here http://sproutpeople.org/

biscgolf · April 12, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Granite26

biscgolf - what have you found to be a good growing medium and do you fertilize? This sounds pretty interesting. Also would be interested if your chef's have a preferred size (2-3"?).

Anyone growing for market care to share how you package and how you price? Feel free to pm.
Thanks!

i use metromix 360- i have tried a lot of mixes as well as simply coir and worm castings but keep returning to the 360. it is suitably fine and wets nice and evenly. i do not fertilize beyond the starter charge in the mix. everything is cut within 17 days of planting so not much need for heavy fertilization.

i would say most of the small micros get cut around 2 inches. just prior to getting a full leaf on them regardless of height. pea shoots, buckwheat shoots , and sunflower shoots tend to be larger.

for restaurants we package by the half pound and get $11 per bag. at market it is in pint clamshells and $3.50 per.

Granite26 · April 12, 2013

Thank-you for sharing this info!

biscgolf · April 13, 2013

part of the micro-house...

pea shoots ready to cut...

red mustard almost ready to cut...

April 13, 2013

biscgolf, thank you for the beautiful photos- they are so lush and green, I can almost taste them! I just received my kit from growingmicrogreens.com--I got a hydroponic growing kit. I haven't gotten started yet because my house is full of all my tomato, pepper and other seedlings that I have to keep hauling in- I started too early as I frequently do, and our weather is being crazy- winds up to 50mph and night temps close to freezing.
When I decide to venture into growing micros in soil, about how deep do you put the soil in the trays? and how wet is it at the start, and how wet as they grow? It will probably be a while before I have time, but would like to be ready. Thanks- Jo in WA

pdxwindjammer · April 13, 2013

Biscgolf, thanks for the photos! Do you weigh them down when they have sprouted? The guy in the growingmicrogreens video suggests doing that to mimic the weight of the soil.

I have a flat of basil, which is mucilagenous, that seemed to start off okay but now only about half the seeds are growing. I kept them moist but seems maybe not moist enough or perhaps too moist?

Do you test your water for ph level and then make adjustments so it is at the ultimate ph level? I didn't but I am considering getting ph strips so I can test it. I may have better results if I control ph levels.

kurt · April 13, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by biscgolf

part of the micro-house...

pea shoots ready to cut...

red mustard almost ready to cut...

How many harvests?One time deal?Also do you reamend spent soil or fresh soil each growing?

Granite26 · April 13, 2013

Great pictures!
I am amazed how much seed price varies from place to place. If it is "sprouting" or "micro-green" specific it seems much more than the same seed just generic bulk pack.

Cole_Robbie · April 13, 2013

I think you would need a commercial seed vendor who gives quantity pricing. I am just about to order cilantro and parsley seed from Seedway I think. I am also going to try growing some pea and sunflower shoots as well.

biscgolf · April 13, 2013

kurt- fresh mix each crop- mix and seed are virtually all of the cost of materials. we do reuse the mix for other applications but not for microgreen growth.

pdx- i very lightly cover the seed when i plant, primarily to hold it in pace and keep it from washing around when watered. no weighting otherwise.

we have our water checked occasionally but that's primarily for coliform bacteria. i checked the ph ages ago and it was slightly basic but haven't had any issues with it so "out of sight out of mind" so to speak on that.

kurt · April 13, 2013

How many trims?

biscgolf · April 13, 2013

one and done... we tried regrowing at first years ago but they grow more slowly and yield shabby, uneven product.

April 13, 2013

So with hydroponic method, the mat is a one time use- ? Would a ultra lightweight quilt batting material serve the same purpose? It would need to be cotton for water absorption, I guess. (I am a sewing person, so it seems to be workable)

John3 · April 14, 2013

I came across this book which is free today and if you have an Amazon account you can download the free PC or mac app to read the Kindle book- here's the link to the book (I don't know if it;s any good or not) it might help in your research.
How to Sprout Raw Food: Grow an Indoor Organic Garden with Wheatgrass, Bean Sprouts, Grain Sprouts, Microgreens, and More [Kindle Edition]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VW6XR8/

Also there is a worm casting book with several plans on building a worm casting bin.

April 12, 2013	#31
Granite26 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Western WI Posts: 359	biscgolf - what have you found to be a good growing medium and do you fertilize? This sounds pretty interesting. Also would be interested if your chef's have a preferred size (2-3"?). Anyone growing for market care to share how you package and how you price? Feel free to pm. Thanks! __________________ Pleasant Valley Produce see us on Facebook!

April 12, 2013	#32
BucksCountyGirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Holland, PA/Zone 7A Posts: 692	I grow them indoors in the winter along with my sprout mixes. My favorite are sunflower greens. Surprisingly sweet and nutty tasting! I get all of my sprouting/microgreens supplies from here http://sproutpeople.org/ __________________ - Kelli Life's a climb...but the view is fantastic

April 12, 2013	#34
Granite26 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Western WI Posts: 359	Thank-you for sharing this info! __________________ Pleasant Valley Produce see us on Facebook!

April 13, 2013	#39
Granite26 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Western WI Posts: 359	Great pictures! I am amazed how much seed price varies from place to place. If it is "sprouting" or "micro-green" specific it seems much more than the same seed just generic bulk pack. __________________ Pleasant Valley Produce see us on Facebook!

April 13, 2013	#42
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,490	How many trims? __________________ KURT

April 13, 2013	#35
biscgolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 353	part of the micro-house... pea shoots ready to cut... red mustard almost ready to cut...

April 13, 2013	#36
JoParrott Guest Posts: n/a	biscgolf, thank you for the beautiful photos- they are so lush and green, I can almost taste them! I just received my kit from growingmicrogreens.com--I got a hydroponic growing kit. I haven't gotten started yet because my house is full of all my tomato, pepper and other seedlings that I have to keep hauling in- I started too early as I frequently do, and our weather is being crazy- winds up to 50mph and night temps close to freezing. When I decide to venture into growing micros in soil, about how deep do you put the soil in the trays? and how wet is it at the start, and how wet as they grow? It will probably be a while before I have time, but would like to be ready. Thanks- Jo in WA

April 13, 2013	#37
pdxwindjammer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 625	Biscgolf, thanks for the photos! Do you weigh them down when they have sprouted? The guy in the growingmicrogreens video suggests doing that to mimic the weight of the soil. I have a flat of basil, which is mucilagenous, that seemed to start off okay but now only about half the seeds are growing. I kept them moist but seems maybe not moist enough or perhaps too moist? Do you test your water for ph level and then make adjustments so it is at the ultimate ph level? I didn't but I am considering getting ph strips so I can test it. I may have better results if I control ph levels.

April 13, 2013	#40
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I think you would need a commercial seed vendor who gives quantity pricing. I am just about to order cilantro and parsley seed from Seedway I think. I am also going to try growing some pea and sunflower shoots as well.

April 14, 2013	#45
John3 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alabama 7.5 or 8 depends on who you ask Posts: 727	I came across this book which is free today and if you have an Amazon account you can download the free PC or mac app to read the Kindle book- here's the link to the book (I don't know if it;s any good or not) it might help in your research. How to Sprout Raw Food: Grow an Indoor Organic Garden with Wheatgrass, Bean Sprouts, Grain Sprouts, Microgreens, and More [Kindle Edition] http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VW6XR8/ Also there is a worm casting book with several plans on building a worm casting bin. Last edited by John3; April 14, 2013 at 07:31 AM.