Microgreens

Microgreens are just baby edible versions of many vegetables & herbs yet they hold a substantial amount of nutrients in their leaves due to the leaves being the first leaves. Cut & harvested usually around a week after germinating they are a quick and easy vegetable to add to your meals. .

Easily grown throughout the season outdoors or in the glasshouse, these nutritious greens are a great addition to salads and sandwiches. 

At a glance

• Raise seeds in seed trays
• Use seed raising mix
• Harvest frequently
• Great project for children to tackle

Selecting the site

Microgreens are the very young shoots on selected edible plants. They are bigger than sprouts but smaller than baby salad leaves.
Any warm sunny porch, patio or glasshouse suits these quick growing greens.

The Soil

Best to use fresh seed raising mix for each new batch of Microgreens. It is not possible to re-use potting soil as roots will have grown into a dense mat - better to dispose of in the compost bin.

Seeds

The range available is huge, for beginners Radish and Mustard Streaks are great, they are both quite spicy. Pea Fiji Feathers are delicious and germinate in as little as seven days depending on the season. 

Containers

Seed trays are shallow and work very well. Improvising is also a good way to recycle old ice cream container  (cut down to half their height), old biscuit tins, yoghurt containers ,  baskets lined  with coconut fibre or newspaper.

How to Sow

• Prepare the seed tray and smooth out the seed raising mix.
• Sprinkle your seed evenly but generously on to the soil surface and finish by sifting some soil lightly over the top.
• A couple of pieces of newspaper cut to fit and moistened is a good way to aid germination.
  • Make sure the potting soil is moist but not drenched.
  • Lift the paper after a bout 4-5 days and remove if germination has begun and moisten as needed.

Harvest

Harvesting can commence 2- 3 weeks after sowing. Use a pair of scissors and cut just above the soil line when the microgreens are young and as they develop their first true leaves.

Aftercare

Most microgreens are single harvest; the exception is Pea ‘Fiji feathers’ which will re grow if not cut down too low. Sow seed in succession to have greens coming on all season.

Seeds

Nichols stocks a selection of Kings and Yates Micro Green Seeds.

Seeds suitable include:

• Sweet Basil
• Cress
• Radish
• Kale
• Rocket
• Amaranth
• Pak Choi
• Mizuna and more
• Cabbage rubies
• Mizuna red gems
• Amaranth red garnets
• Rocket emeralds.