Ask This Old House landscape designer Jenn Nawada learns how to grow and harvest microgreens.
Microgreens can be used in salads, sandwiches and soups. Microgreens require a growth of about one pound of seeds. So a small packet of seeds is not enough to harvest microgreens.
Shopping List
Seeds for vegetables
Organic soil
Plastic containers
Steps:
1. Some seeds require you to pre-soak a handful of seeds to promote early germination (follow directions on the seed packet). If you’re worried about bacteria spreading from one seed to the rest, you can add a little hydrogen peroxide to the water.
2. After the presoaking is complete, rinse and drain the seeds in a colander.
3. Pour organic soil into plastic container and fill it up half way.
4. Push soil down evenly with the bottom of a second plastic container.
5. Water the soil thoroughly.
6. Spread the seed densely over the top of the soil.
7. Use a spray bottle (rather than your fingers) to help spread the seeds evenly.
8. Cover the seed with a plastic container and place it in a warm space away from sunlight to germinate.
9. In 3-4 days once the seeds have sprouted, remove the cover and bring them to a sunny area.
10. By 7-10 days, the microgreens should be ready to harvest.
11. Sterilize a pair of scissors with hydrogen peroxide and cut the microgreen close to the soil, but do not pull up any soil in the process.
12. Compost the excess soil and recycle or reuse the plastic container.
13. Microgreens can be stored for up to a week in the refrigerator.
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Seeds can be very expensive and knowing where to get them can save you a lot of money.