Guide on Cultivating Microgreens at Home
In the quest for a convenient and nutritious addition to your meals, microgreens have emerged as a popular choice. These seedlings of leafy herbs and plants, grown in various containers and compost, offer all the flavour of fully grown plants but in a more compact form.
Microgreens can be easily grown at home using simple methods that require minimal space, time, and gardening experience. You can purchase microgreens kits from suppliers such as Thompson & Morgan, Suttons, and Crocus, or buy microgreens seeds from local garden centers or online. Alternatively, you can repurpose old yoghurt pots, seed trays, or pieces of guttering as containers for your microgreens.
One approach to growing microgreens involves using soilless kits, where seeds are placed on mats atop honeycomb grills. The mats are saturated with water, covered to germinate for several days, then moved to a sunny spot for growth. After 7-10 days, microgreens are harvested by cutting.
Another popular method is growing microgreens in shallow containers or trays filled with a growing medium such as potting soil or layers of organic tissue paper. Seeds are evenly spread, lightly pressed into the medium, and misted regularly with water. The trays are covered initially to aid germination and then placed near sunlight or under grow lights until the microgreens develop true leaves, typically ready to harvest within 7-14 days.
A creative, low-cost method uses ice cube trays as individual mini growing compartments. Seeds are sown in potting soil placed in the trays, kept in a sunny window, watered carefully, and harvested in about 8 days. This is a beginner-friendly and space-saving technique, ideal for experimenting with various microgreens like mustard, radish, or broccoli.
Commonalities across these methods include minimal space requirement (windowsill, kitchen counter), quick growth cycle (about 1–2 weeks), use of adequate light (natural or artificial), regular watering or misting, and harvest by cutting at the base once true leaves form.
The health benefits of microgreens are significant. They are nutrient-dense, often containing up to 40 times more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than mature plants. Rich sources of vitamins A, C, E, and K, and minerals like potassium, iron, and zinc, microgreens are high in antioxidants which help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. Their concentrated nutrients support immune function, heart health, and digestion. Incorporating microgreens can enhance meals with flavour, colour, and nutritional value in salads, sandwiches, smoothies, or as garnishes.
Growing microgreens at home offers a convenient, efficient way to boost dietary intake of fresh greens year-round, even in small spaces, with minimal gardening experience required. To ensure a constant supply of microgreens, they should be sown successionally every week. So, why not give it a try and bring a concentrated, flavoursome burst of taste to your favourite dishes?
By growing microgreens at home using various methods such as soilless kits, shallow containers, or even ice cube trays, you can integrate a renewable source of nutrient-dense food into your home-and-garden lifestyle. These miniature plants, like radish, mustard, or broccoli, provide a lifestyle upgrade by offering a satisfying DIY experience, while also improving the lifestyle nutritionally with their high concentrations of vitamins and minerals.
