So since we're all up to our elbows in dirt any way, now's the perfect time to create a little pot of microgreens.
Why?
Well ... only because it'll change your life, make your cats speak Spanish, improve your hearing and give you the ability to do the splits. In both directions.
Plus, microgreens are just cool.
If you've ever been to a half decent restaurant or looked through a magazine you've seen microgreens. They're exactly what they sound like. Teeny, tiny versions of various greens. They're mainly used as a garnish, but don't be fooled by that. They have a huge amount of flavour packed into those teensy leaves.
As I said, with so many seeds available online, in garden centres and hardware stores, now is the perfect time to plant some microgreens. If you have some seeds, some dirt (soil for you fancy types) and a container you're well on your way to being able to do the splits.
If you've ever bought a packet of seeds you know you rarely plant all of them. Microgreens are a good way to use up some of those leftover seeds you have.
Certain seeds work better than others for microgreens but really almost anything can be used. As a guide for you, here's a list of some perfect contenders for microgreens.
- Mustard
- Kale
- Radish
- Beets
- Lettuces
- Broccoli
- Celery
- Chia
Truly most seeds will work.
I used an old teacup and an enamel bowl thing. Because my containers didn't have holes for drainage I laid fine gravel in the bottom.
Then fill'er up with soil (soilless mix is best but just use what you have).
Sprinkle the soil with a variety of seeds.
Top with a tiny bit of dry soil. (dry soil is just easier to work with in terms of putting down a thin layer) You only need to barely cover the seeds.
Stick your pots on a VERY sunny windowsill or under grow lights and make sure to keep them damp.
Depending on the seeds you planted, you'll have growth in 1-2 weeks. If you planted a variety of seeds, chances are they'll all sprout at different times, which is actually good. Once your lettuce has finished sprouting and you've cut it all, you'll have your beet greens to look forward to.
The time to cut your microgreens is when they have their first true set of leaves. That means the leaves that actually look like the plant leaves. The first set of leaves that grow aren't real leaves at all, they're cotyledons. For the purpose of this post we will call them pretend leaves.
To harvest, you just snip the microgreen near the dirt. It won't grow back like it might if you were clipping a full sized plant of lettuce or whatever. In the case of microgreens, once it's clipped, it's clipped.
Use your microgreens in salads, on meats or soups. Anywhere really. Tape a couple under your nostrils and you have an instant disguise. The possibilities of microgreens are endless.
How endless? As endless as the incessant Spanish yapping from your cats will be. You'll almost wish you never discovered microgreens. Almost.
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Jen A
Nice idea. Great mini project for kids. Oh ... I don't have kids.
cred
I highly recommend cilantro microgreens if you like cilantro- I love it but may even love the little cilantro sprouts better.
And microgreens are tasty anywhere you may use alfalfa sprouts or other varieties of soiless sprouts you can buy. I love them on a sandwich or burger- anything that you might top with lettuce is a great place to amp up flavour using sprouts. Thanks for the post today- I'm going to start some sprouts.
Langela
This is super! I realized this morning that I will be needing a good disguise in a week or two. And a Spanish- translating cat, too. Karen, your posts are always so relevant to my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Karen
Langela - You're welcome. I know. It's weird. I just have a *feel* for this sort of thing. ~ karen
Lorrinda
I just came across a magazine article with recipes for microgreens, and was searching the internet for ways to grow them just last night....I should have known you'd do it better! Perfect timing on this post, off to get me some seeds.
Barbie
I am SO doing this! How many times do I say that after I read your post? LOL
Bonnie G.
I tasted microgreens several years ago and wondered where to get them - growing them is definitely something I would try but I don't think there's enough room here to grow a supply for a dinner party of six (all having dinner on the same day)!
Karen
Bonnie G - You probably have enough room! You only use a tiny amount of microgreens for each plate. The amount I've shown in the teacup is easily enough for 6 people. You wouldn't actually make a salad out of them, just mound them on top of the main, or whatever. Yes? Yes. ~ karen
debra b
never hear of them before now, but what a great thing to now know! Not sure I want my cat to speak Spanish though, I am pretty sure he's been swearing at me and the dogs for years and this would just give him more options against the silly human and the drooling hairy ones
Jane Passant
It's rainy & cold & icky outside....just came back from my 5 km walk, but I'm heading to the garden store to pick up some seeds and start my microgreens inside! So there, Mother Nature! Thanks for the tutorial!
Maureen @theThriftyLass
Well that was a fairly vague comment, I see. What I mean is, are you using a digital camera or what? Please spill all your secrets.
Karen
Maureen - I use a Nikon D40, but if you know how to control your point and shoot camera you can get really good pictures too. I'm really not all that great a photographer so I've never done a post on it. I'll consider it. :) ~ karen
Maureen @theThriftyLass
Okay, yay for this post, but especially for your wonderful photography. Just lovely. I have no skills in that area so I wonder if you can (or have already?) written about the photography in your posts?
petra
LOVE!LOVE!LOVE! thanks once again for reading my mind on what to do with all the leftover seeds that never really amount to much outside because the birds eat the seeds and the squirrels and chipmunks eat what ever sprouts!
Mary Werner
LOVE the pig shakers! In case you think I missed the entire point of the post - will try the greens too as I LOVE parsley and mint. I guess it will be sorta like them - something to nibble with my granddaughter while making up stories about rabbits eating tiny greens from a teacup at a tea party.
Moe
What a cute idea.. and tasty too I imagine. Too bad you couldn't get a whole salad out of these babies. How about a window salad garden?? Is that even possible?? or did I miss that blog? lol
Karen
Moe - Unless you live in a greenhouse a window salad garden would be difficult. You can get away with more shade with lettuce but, I'm afraid the average kitchen windowsill wouldn't get enough light to properly grow lettuces. Nope. No ma'am. ~ karen!
Deborah
Yo hablo Espanol... mi gato no habla Espanol :P Microgreens are all the rage on the cooking shows the past couple years...I have cilantro, parsley and chives on the go and am itching to get some lettuce growing. I need to pick up some mesclan seeds to go along with the leaf lettuce seeds I have. My tomatoes are 2 feet high, my tomatillos are flowering and I have not been able to get them outside yet (first time sowing tomatillos - they grow FAST), hoping the wacko weather we have had lately stabilizes so I can get their feet into the ground. :P Awesome idea on the old teacup for a planter!
Karen
Thanks lady. ~ karen
bex
Oo this fabulous, and your mobile version of your site, and the great silkscreen printing article! Thanks k!
erica (Corsetkitten)
This is a great idea! I love the sense of humor that shines through in your post! (My cats really do need to learn to speak spanish!!) ;)
Karen
Erica - Most cats *do*. :) ~ karen
mimiindublin
Brill post!
I have 2 old china teacups with fallen-off handles, here's a use for them!
Aren't microgreens full of nutrients, like a concentrated version without having to chew loads of lettuce?
Agnes
Lovin' the beautiful photographs in this post! Those pig shakers are too cute!
Gwen
Microgreens = one of the things I miss about working in a kitchen!
They are super easy to grow, if you remember to plan them.
Having a couple containers on the go, planted at different times, will ensure you have a steady supply.
Awesome post! Microgreens ftw!
Karen
"Microgreens for the win" LOL. I don't know exactly why that made me laugh, but it did. Thx. ~ karen
Kirsten
I actually just ran across a reference to microgreens and had no idea what they were, so this post was serendipitously timed!
Thanks for the tutorial - they look adorable and they're edible, so win-win.