Popular plants for microgreens include highly nutritious options such as kale, radish, and sunflower. These varieties are not only flavorful but also offer an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Other commonly grown microgreens include arugula, broccoli, pea shoots, and chia. Experiment with different plants to discover your favorites and enjoy a diverse range of tastes and nutrients in your microgreen dishes.
What You'll Learn
Kale
Kale’s mild flavor and high nutrient content make it a perfect choice for adding nutrition and variety to your meals. Growing kale as microgreens is easy, with just a few sowing techniques you can have fresh greens in no time.
Kale requires full sun to partial shade for optimal growth, so find a spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. When ready to sow, use pre-moistened soil or compost mix in flats or trays that are at least 2 inches deep. Plant seeds 1/4 inch apart and gently cover them with soil – the key is not to bury them too deeply! Keep the soil moist but not saturated until germination occurs within 7-14 days.
When it comes to harvesting methods, you can start snipping off the leaves when they reach 1-2 inches tall – usually around 4 weeks from sowing date. Cut the leaves close above the stem using scissors, leaving some of the stem intact helps with regrowth if desired. You’ll get multiple harvests as long as you cut off only what you need each time.
Be sure to rinse before eating since these are grown in soil, and store any excess in an airtight container lined with paper towel in your fridge where they will last up to two weeks!
Kale microgreens are packed with vitamins A, C, E and K as well as calcium, iron and magnesium – all important nutrients for health and wellbeing. Not only do they enhance flavor of salads and other dishes but also provide beneficial minerals that support overall health. They’re also highly versatile; try incorporating them into juices or smoothies for added nutrition or top sandwiches or pizza with them instead of lettuce!
These nutritious greens really add something special to recipes; their crunchy texture adds contrast while their subtly sweet yet earthy taste brings out flavors in whatever dish you choose! Whether used fresh or cooked lightly kale microgreens offer a healthy boost of vitamins and minerals without compromising on flavor – making this popular plant a great choice for microgreen enthusiasts looking for variety in their diets!
Radish
Radish microgreens are a great way to get the nutritional benefits of radishes without the long wait for them to mature. Radishes are rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
Growing radish microgreens is easy; you just need soil, seeds, a container with drainage holes, moist paper towels or sponges for germination, and regular watering. With minimal effort and time commitment, you can enjoy delicious radish microgreens year-round!
Nutritional Benefits
The nutritional benefits of microgreens are unparalleled; you can almost feel the vitamins and minerals radiating off them like a glowing halo.
Radish microgreens boast high concentrations of Vitamin C, as well as Vitamins A, B6, and K. They also provide plenty of dietary fiber and potassium, making them a great addition to any health-conscious diet.
Not only do radish microgreens offer amazing nutrition, but they’re also easy to grow with minimal soil requirements – perfect for busy urban gardeners who don’t have time for elaborate setups or extensive maintenance.
With its unique flavor profile, radish microgreens offer a whole new level of culinary exploration that will wow your taste buds while boosting your overall health in the process.
How to Grow Radish as Microgreens
Growing your own radish microgreens doesn’t have to be difficult – it’s a breeze! Here’s what you need to do:
- Prepare the soil and choose the right planting techniques. Make sure that your soil is well-drained and rich in organic matter such as compost.
- Use a raised bed or container to grow radish microgreens.
- Give them plenty of sunlight so they can thrive.
When planting radish microgreens:
- Use a shallow layer of seed starting mix or potting soil.
- Sow the seeds about 1/4 inch apart from each other.
- Water thoroughly and keep the soil moist until the greens start to emerge, which should take around 5-7 days depending on conditions.
Harvest your radish microgreens after they reach 2 inches tall by snipping them at their stems with scissors or a knife. Enjoy your tasty and nutritious crop!
Sunflower
Sunflower microgreens make a tasty addition to any meal, and you won’t regret giving them a try! They’re easy to grow at home, and harvesting can be done in as little as two weeks.
Before planting your sunflowers, it’s important to prepare the soil properly with compost or other organic matter. To ensure that the sunflower plants get enough sunlight, be sure to plant them in a sunny spot and keep an eye on the temperature. If temperatures get too high, cover your plants or move them indoors for protection.
Once your sunflowers are planted, water regularly and watch out for pests like aphids or slugs that may damage the leaves of your plants. As they grow, you may need to thin out some of the heavy foliage if it becomes overcrowded.
When harvesting time comes around (usually after two weeks), use scissors or shears to cut off only the top part of each stem so that more greens can continue growing from each plant. Sunflower microgreens have a mild nutty flavor and crunchy texture making them perfect for salads or sandwiches.
They also add color and nutrition to any meal with their rich yellow hues full of vitamins A, B-complex vitamins, minerals such as calcium and magnesium as well as essential fatty acids. Once harvested they should be stored in a sealed container in the fridge where they will stay fresh for up to one week.
Whether you’re looking for something nutritious or just want something tasty to garnish your dishes with – sunflower microgreens are definitely worth trying! With proper care and attention, these leafy greens will provide you with plenty of flavor and nutrition all year round!
Tips for Growing Microgreens
When it comes to growing microgreens, it’s important to know the basics for success – so let’s get started! Growing your own microgreens is a great way to create a personal supply of nutritious and delicious greens.
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your microgreen crop:
- Soil Preparation – Microgreens need soil with good drainage, so make sure you use a light potting mix that has enough nutrients to support the plants while they grow. You can also add organic matter or compost if needed.
- Light Requirements – Microgreens require plenty of sunlight in order to thrive, so make sure they are placed in an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. If possible, rotate your containers regularly so all sides receive equal exposure to the sun’s rays.
- Watering – When watering your microgreens, it’s important to keep them moist but not soggy as this can lead to fungal growth and other problems. Water them deeply once or twice per week depending on how quickly the soil dries out between waterings.
Growing microgreens is relatively easy and requires minimal effort once you have established a routine with soil preparation, light requirements, and watering schedule. With just a bit of care and attention, you can enjoy fresh homegrown greens year round!
