Want to Grow Microgreens without Dealing with Messy Soil(2021)? How o Grow Microgreens without Soil

Microgreens, though look quite similar to sprouts but actually are vegetable greens that are harvested after the cotyledon (a part of seeds that is the first to appear from a germinating seed) leaves start to develop from the seeds. These are used as a supplement for nutrition, a flavor enhancer in food (sweetness and spiciness), and also as a showpiece to add beauty to your house. Microgreens are very young veggie greens (smaller than baby greens) and are consumed as soon as they attain a length of 1-3 inches. In simple words, these greens are consumed as soon as they begin sprouting and still haven't matured enough to produce multiple leaves.

Microgreens consist of three parts, the stem, cotyledon leaf, and the very young pair of the first leaves. These are generally larger and little matured than a sprout and closer to baby greens. While sprouts take 2-7 days to grow, microgreens are harvested 7-21 after the germination process. These are greens that can be bought or grown whole and can be consumed raw while they are still alive. Generally used in soups, plates, sandwiches, and garnishing salads, they are finding their way into the kitchen as natural and nutritious food.

Microgreens were introduced in the 80s-90s in different parts of the USA and initially, kale, cilantro, beets, basil, arugula, and a rainbow mixture of these greens were offered. But, it was liked by food lovers which resulted in the rapid growth of Microgreens farming, and a lot of seed growers and farmers started farming it at a mass level in the USA. And those who knew about Microgreens in India have been growing it in their kitchens or backyards for the last couple of years. Now it has slowly started getting recognition in the Indian market, especially in the metros, and few farmers have started farming microgreens in their fields and farms as it’s a quick crop and they don’t have to wait for months before getting the returns.

You can grow microgreens at home without soil by using different types of seeds. There are various plant families whose members are used for producing different types of Microgreens.

Moreover, legumes such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils, as well as Cereals like oats, wheat, rice, barley, and corn can also be grown as microgreens. And these may also vary in taste; while few are neutral, there are varieties that are spicy, bitter, or sour. They have a concentrated and strong flavour in general and you can use them in different dishes as per their taste.

In early 2014, several studies were published which mention the nutrients present in the microgreens and their shelf-life. Out of the 25 varieties that were tested, the key nutrients which were found in the microgreens are vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids (the pigment responsible for the color in various plants and animals), and vitamin K. They are also rich in iron, zinc, potassium, copper, and magnesium, and have beneficial compounds like antioxidants. The concentrated nutrient content means that they have higher antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals than the same quantity of mature veggies. Further researches are done on comparing microgreens and mature greens, which indicates that microgreens can have up to 9 times more nutrients than those found in fully grown vegetables. However, the difference may vary for different species.

The major health benefits that can be derived out of microgreens due to the high quantity of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants include –

While we have read about microgreens and the health benefits associated with them, they are also quite easy to grow in your kitchen, backyard, or patio, and that too, hydroponically (a type of horticulture in which crops are grown by using mineral nutrients, without soil).

Before we dive into the process of growing microgreens without soil, let’s have a look at the few essentials which you would require to grow them at home, without soil.

So you have managed to collect all the required articles for growing microgreens without soil, but little preparation is required before you can start the harvesting process. The preparation involves ‘growing medium’ preparation and water preparation.

Now let’s check the step by step points to understand the final process of growing microgreens without soil.

Another simple way to grow microgreens without soil is to use paper towels. For growing microgreens on a paper towel, you would require paper towels, drip trays, seed trays, seed, and pH water. Put half the paper towel in a drip tray and place the seed tray beneath it. Moist the paper towel, spread the seeds evenly, spray water on the seeds and cover with another sheet of paper towel. Cover the tray with one more sheet of paper towel to protect the seeds from sunlight.

Remove the outer sheet the second day so that sunlight can reach the seedlings. The seeds have to be continually moistened before the sprouting process takes place. On the 3rd or 4th day, you’ll observe that the sprouting is happening. You can harvest at this stage or wait for 3 more days after which the microgreen stage is achieved by the sprouts.