Tutorial // Grow your own Microgreens

Microgreens are young vegetable greens, sitting somewhere between seed sprouts and baby greens. They are rich in flavour, while still having all the tenderness of a very young plant. I love adding them to my salads, sandwiches, and snacks in general, but there’s something I like even more than eating them: Growing my own!

Why? Well, there’s just so much to love about growing these tiny little greens:

  • They can be grown virtually anywhere - You don’t need a garden or a dedicated growing space to grow these. Any little corner by a bright windowsill will do.

  • They are good for you - By sprouting seeds or growing microgreens, you unlock all the energy and nutrients held in the seeds, making them an incredibly nutritious snack that is also high in antioxidants.

  • It’s really quick! - some seeds, particularly those in the cabbage family (radishes, kale, broccoli, mustards, etc) grow really quickly, and you can have your greens ready to harvest in as little as a week!

  • It’s such good fun! - there’s something pretty magical about watching seeds germinate. When growing a tray of microgreens, you don’t only get to watch that process up close, but you get to eat it soon after too! :)

  • It’s very easy to get started - Although there are a number of kits and devices on the market intended for growing microgreens, there is no need for specialised equipment. You can grow your own with materials you most likely already have at home!

So, are you ready to give it a go?

Here are two really easy ways to grow delicious, herby microgreens, using simple supplies you are likely to have in your kitchen, or that can be easily sourced from grocery stores:

GROWING MUSTARD MICROGREENS - PAPER TOWEL METHOD

mustards.jpg

You’ll need:

  • Mustard seeds - available from grocery shops to be used as a spice in cooking

  • A plastic punnet - those in which grapes and other soft fruit come in

  • A couple of paper towels

  • Cling film or a clear plastic bag


Growing instructions:

  1. Check if your punnet has holes on the bottom, if it doesn’t, make a few holes using a pair of scissors

  2. Fold a couple of paper towels to fit the bottom of the punnet

  3. Pour a little water on a dish or container, and place the punnet on top. The paper towels will absorb and retain some of the water

  4. Scatter mustard seeds on the paper towel

  5. If you have a spray bottle, spray the seeds with water to wet them further. This will speed up the germination process

  6. Cover the punnet with cling film or place it inside a clear plastic bag. This will create a mini-greenhouse effect, keeping the moisture and heat within the punnet.

  7. Seeds will start germinating as after a day or two. Once they do, remove the cling film or plastic bag, and ensure the paper towels are always moist, by repeating step 3 once or twice a day, and place the punnet on a bright windowsill

  8. The microgreens should be ready to harvest after 8-14 days.

  9. Enjoy! :)



GROWING CORIANDER MICROGREENS - COMPOST METHOD

coriander.jpg

Bigger seeds, like coriander do better on a little compost, rather than just the paper towels, but otherwise, it’s exactly the same method as above:

You’ll need:

  • Coriander seeds - available from grocery shops to be used as a spice in cooking

  • A plastic punnet - those in which grapes and other soft fruit come in

  • A paper towel or piece of toilet paper

  • Compost (seed compost is best, but any compost will do)

  • Cling film or a clear plastic bag


Growing instructions:

  1. Check if your punnet has holes on the bottom, if it doesn’t, make a few holes using a pair of scissors

  2. Just so the compost doesn’t fall through the holes and makes a mess, put a single sheet of paper towel or toilet paper on the bottom of the punnet

  3. Add about one inch of compost to the punnet

  4. Pour a little water on a dish or container, and place the punnet on top. The compost will absorb and retain some of the water

  5. Scatter coriander seeds, and sprinkle some more compost on top to cover them up.

  6. Gently water your freshly sown seeds

  7. Cover the punnet with cling film or place it inside a clear plastic bag. This will create a mini-greenhouse effect, keeping the moisture and heat within the punnet.

  8. Seeds will start germinating as after 7-10 days. Once they do, remove the cling film or plastic bag, and ensure the paper towels are always moist, by repeating step 4 once a day, and place the punnet on a bright windowsill

  9. The microgreens should be ready to harvest after a couple of weeks.

  10. Enjoy! :)