123
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Sprouts- Micro Greens

Created a Main Thread Link just For Sprouts and Healthy live foods like micro greens.

I'm sure helpfulgardener would get a lot of google hits from interested people in the raw food world.

helpfulgardener should make it a main topic thread.

For now Growing your own Sprouts and Micro Greens

Go for it below.

cheers

123

Mr green
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Location: Sweden

Its an awesome way for anyone to get fresh healthy produce! I love the alfalfa sprouts simply because they are so rich in nutrients and I went ahead and bhought a 25kg bag of organic seeds, I know sometimes I get carried away looking for best prizes and stuff lol.

kweb
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Location: Canada, Saskatoon- 3b

My favorite micro green has to be mustard radish. I haven't found one thing they aren't good on. Fresh garden wraps, or even a steak topping. MMMM so good. I think I may start a small batch today.

My local Peavy Mart had a really nice little kit for about $10 and pad refills that I haven't seen yet. I think a local micro green sprout company using a very similar pad.
I love how from the time you seed until the time you harvest is only about 5 to 10 days.

I like to use coco fibre. Cheap and last a long time.
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puzzlejunky
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Location: Southwestern PA, zone 6b

I'm new to sprouting. It seems that every website says something different. Should they be placed in a dark cupboard or on a bright counter while sprouting? Some websites say add salt to the initial soak and some don't...what is the benefit of adding salt?

Also curious how you eat them? I know salads are obvious...but what about in omelets or quesadillas? How do you serve them in your family?

kweb
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Hi. Glad to hear someone else here grows them. What have you tried so far?
I haven't read about adding salts. I would imagine that it's Epsom salts? Could be used as a lift fertilizer for seed germination. Reading on it now, the magnesium in the salt helps with seeds germination, and production of chlorophyll as well as absorption of other nutrients, ie npk.
I haven't used Epsom before, other than to soak sore muscles, but I have heard it's beneficial to gardener's.
Possibly since the growth period is so short, salts help make the most out of the little bit of fertilizer they get...?

Daikon Radish is really good on many things, omelettes and quesadillas included. Has a spicy taste and lots of radish flavor. Soups are good with microgreens, even just canned soup can be spiced up to seem homemade. Stir Frys, rice dishes, meat garnishes, blending into a shakes, mashing into potatoes.
I
Sunflower and Broccoli sprouts are amazing to just eat after washing them. Many types can be eaten like this. They have so much flavor but incorporating with other foods is the fun part.

You can sprout seeds to when the cotyledon leaves come, then you eat them. Some I let go a bit longer.
Or basically just germinate, let the root grow about an inch and then eat. I find if spouting to just the rooting stage, things rot quickly unless very well drained and air circulates.

My daughter is 16 months and loves the sunflower sprouts plain. I keep the spicy one away from her for now. She's never had processed baby food(jarred) We've always mashed fresh veggie and fruit when she was younger and now she loves just biting into cook veggies and fruits. Hopefully that will stay with her as she grows up.

I keep the sprout tray dark until small cotyledon leaves appear. They are very yellow until lid is removed and start to receive light to make chlorophyll. If kept to moist, the tray will quickly mold and rot. Burlap and Coconut fibre are good mediums but will require additional ferts.

puzzlejunky
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Joined: Wed Apr 15, 2015 4:44 pm
Location: Southwestern PA, zone 6b

Thanks for your response..it was very helpful. Many years ago we tried to grow sprouts using the jar method and the paper towel method (more as a science experiment. We were a homeschooling family), but the directions said to place them by a sunny window and when they were done they smelled like mold.

So we didn't eat them..and I've never actually tasted a sprout. So it's hard for me to come up with serving/cooking ideas without knowing what it tastes like. Your post was very helpful.

I don't want to invest any money yet (not until I know if I like the taste). I have a green lentil and green pea growing now (not in in direct light but not a dark cupboard either). So far they smell ok. They were what I had on hand. I've been pricing the bags of organic sprouting seeds. The reviews say that they store well in a cool pantry so I may invest in some of those soon if I like the taste of these.

I didn't add the salt. I wonder if it would cut down on mold growth, too?

I'm thinking of trying the soil tray method next. I'm guessing the seeds aren't kept quite as moist as the jar method so that may help me keep the moldy odor away, too? Is there less chance of bacteria wit the soil method?

What soil do you use? When I pot plants I just get soil from my yard or sometimes if I have it potting soil from my local dollar store. Would that be good enough?

edited: DOh..I just realized you said you use coco fibre. Wha tis that and is it expensive?

kweb
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Location: Canada, Saskatoon- 3b

Sorry, its proper name is coconut coir. You can buy a brick usually at any gardening shop, maybe even hardware stores that do garden centers. Around 3-5 dollars and that will last a long long time. You can cut it with a saw, to use in smaller pieces because it expands a lot.

Most generic potting soils should be fine. I use a 2-gal sprayer that would normally be used for spraying chemicals so that I don't over water because I'd have to stand there all day spraying and so that I don't washout seeds and cause them to cluster. If the soil is spongy wet and water presses out when you push on the soil, it's way, way too wet.
I'd recommend at least getting a small spray bottle, 1-2L.

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applestar
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Hmm... not sure if resurrecting this old thread is the way to go, but, as mentioned previously elsewhere, I decided to try growing micro-greens and baby greens during the cold months this year, in addition to sprouts.

I saved seeds from this summer's greens that typically go nuts making seeds -- radish, kale, turnip, orach, spinach tree, garden cress, aka shiso, garlic chives, komatsuna, bok choi....

First trial of mostly radish and garlic chives in a shallow tray, then 2nd and 3rd sowing of mixed seeds in DIY self-watering / sub-irrigated containers made from rectangular juice bottles, 2 of which delightfully fit exactly in a Chinese takeout tray. :()

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I'm going to make more of these. :mrgreen:

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applestar
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...vs. no-soil method...

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Image

...I trimmed and ate a handful as soup garnish after taking the pictures :()
It may not seem like there are that much to look at the photos, but all I did was trim the biggest ones that were falling over, and the single-serving harvest hardly made a dent. :wink:



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