Micro-greens, are basically the seedlings of leafy plants and herbs that you would otherwise grow into full size plants. They are usually harvested at the cotyledons stage, the first leaves of the seedling. For their size, micro-greens are usually intense in flavour and quite sweet.
All micro-greens are grown in the same manner: sow the seeds into compost and provide light and a little water. They can be grown year-round indoors on a sunny windowsill and are usually ready to harvest within a couple of weeks, depending on the time of year.
Micro-green seeds
You can buy specialist kits and seeds either online or at your local garden center. If you’re unable to source micro-green seeds, you can use regular herb and salad seeds, just remember to harvest them at the seedling stage.
How to grow micro-greens
To get started, you will need a seed tray and fill it with compost. Unfortunately, home-made compost, unless sterilised, will have weed seeds and fungal spores. Therefore, it’s best to buy fresh compost from your local garden center. Use your finger to create a shallow drill in the compost and sow the seeds in a dense line. Be sure not to sow them too thickly, as this can lead to damping-off disease.
Cover the seeds and water, taking care not to wash them away. Place the tray on a windowsill and keep the compost moist. After a couple of weeks, they will be ready to harvest. To harvest, snip them off at the base.
Once you’ve harvested all your micro-greens, you can add the used compost to the compost bin and wash the tray with warm soapy water.
How to use micro-greens
Microgreens can be added to salads or used as an attractive edible garnish for a meal. The fresher the leaves are, the more flavor and vitamins and minerals they contain.
Varieties
Here are some varieties for you to try.:
- Chinese Cabbage Microgreen: Sources of vitamins K and B6, with a sweet flavor, milder than full-grown varieties.
- Beetroot Microgreen: Rich sources of vitamin A, B, C, E, and K with a sweet, earthy flavour.
- Broccoli Microgreen: A source of vitamins A, B, C, E, and K with a mild broccoli flavor.