What are Microgreens?
Microgreens are sprouting young vegetables, usually small (1-2 inches). This vegetable is grown and harvested in a relatively short time and their common feature is that it is easy to live and does not require too much care. Currently, sprouts are a popular choice and are preferred by many people.
What Kind of Seeds work Best?
Growing microgreens at home is a hobby of many people, especially housewives because microgreens bring many health benefits to humans. There are many types of seeds used to grow microgreens, each with different benefits and flavors depending on each person.
1. Brassicaceae Family
Refers to the soft vegetables of the cruciferous family such as broccoli, collard greens, bitter cabbage, bok choy, etc… This is an easy-to-grow, easy-to-care-for sprout, and harvests only 5-7 days.
2. Daikon Radish Microgreens
Radish sprouts are nutritious vegetables with abundant content of vitamins such as Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, … and beneficial minerals such as: Calcium, iron, … Maybe you unknown, vitamin A content in white radish sprouts is 10 times higher than in potatoes.
3. Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli sprouts are a great source of antioxidants, which prevent and limit the activity of cancer cells, and at the same time enhance the body's metabolism to help beautify the skin effectively.
4. Bean Sprouts
This is the most common type of sprout, including a group of sprouts belonging to the bean family such as red beans, green beans, black beans, soybeans, etc… The characteristics of legume sprouts are large stems and few diseases. It grows very quickly so it is often cultivated and produced in large quantities.
What Things you Need to Prepare?
With just a few simple things you can easily find in your home like:
Water ( warm and normal )
Containers ( depending on the need’s quantity)
Microgreens seeds
Soil ( better mix)
Scissors ( for harvesting)
A small tower
How to Plant
To plant with high efficiency, you need to follow the following steps:
Step 1: Soak and incubate the seeds
Before sowing, you should soak the seeds for 6-7 hours in warm water at about 50°C (122°F). Then, remove the float seeds on the surface of the water because these are broken seeds.
And then you take them out to drain and incubate the seeds with a towel for 5 hours. It makes seeds germinate before sowing to get a high success rate( seeds germinate at an average temperature of 25-30°C and grow best in an enclosed and dark space).
Step 2: Sowing seeds
Before sowing the seeds, do not forget to moisten the soil mixture in the containers first.
Next, you pick up the seeds and plant them in containers with a dense level or if you buy the available seed pocket, please carefully read the notes on the package.
Finally, you spread another layer of soil mixture on the seed's surface to avoid mold and insect attacks. After all, you water them.
Step 3: Take care of microgreens
Seeds growing do not need too much water, so you only need to water them twice a day.
Step 4: Harvesting
After 4-5 days, when the sprouts have grown and grown about 2-3 inches high, you can harvest already. Use scissors or a knife to cut each cluster.
Some Notes When Growing Sprouts at Home
Choosing seeds: Seeds that can be used to grow sprouts such as collard greens, broccoli, daikon radish, bean, etc… Should choose seeds with clear origin. It is best to choose seeds that are packaged specifically for growing vegetables
Sprout caring: Using a misting can water the sprouts. Avoid direct sunlight and need a cover net to limit sunlight. Regularly check for fungal diseases and do not use fertilizers during growing.
Conclusion
Indeed you have chosen for yourself the most suitable way to grow sprouts, right? Hopefully, the above information will help your family have delicious and clean meals from microgreens.
