Microgreens are generally known as vegetable greens but are not sprouts; these are harvested just after the full leaves have been developed. As the name itself tells that these are tiny and can be grown anywhere in the house even if you have no garden.
As these are home-grown, the nutrition levels are high than any other available vegetables.
The size of these plants is so tiny 1-3 inches approximately to describe in number. They have an aromatic flavour. As these are tiny sometimes, they are referred to baby plants. These are harvested after 7-21 days from the time they are planted.
Only the stems and leaves are edible not the whole plant. They must be alive till they are consumed; this means if they are sold in the market make sure the whole thing is bought and cut at home freshly and you can add it to the dish you wanted to.
It is better we grow these plants at home and harvest on our own and can be eaten whenever we need. Here we are going to discuss how to grow these microgreens indoors.
How to Grow Microgreens Indoors?
Microgreens are very convenient to grow at home as they can don’t need a lot of places. We can grow a lot of cereals into microgreens as they are fully packed with nutritions.
Health Benfits of Microgreens
- Microgreens are a great source of potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper.
- Also, they are containing the required number of antioxidants.
- They also contain higher vitamins and mineral levels.
- Rich in a variety of polyphenols that are required for the body.
Also, eating microgreens can prevent many diseases as they contain high number of vitamins, minerals that our body always wanted. They prevent the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and certain cancers.
The nutrition levels may vary with different spices, so don’t jump to conclusion that all type of microgreens are rich in nutrients. It may depend on the variety of plant you choose.
There are many ways to indulge microgreens in your diet. They spice up the flavour of dishes and can also be added to a variety of dishes like a sandwich, wrap, and vegetable or fruit salads.
These can also be added to smoothies and juices. The best way to this microgreen is used to garnish pizzas, soups, omelettes, curries, and many other varieties.
There are various varieties of microgreens that can be grown at the comfort of your own house.
- Pea shoots are mild in flavour. Crispy in nature when served raw or added to any dish either the way they are tasty. Coming to nutrition every microgreen is fully packed with all the benefits so these also rich in all sources.
- Radish shoots are spicy in flavour. If you are familiar with the taste of radish then you will love radish sprouts too. These can also be consumed raw or added to any dish. There is no doubt that this radish shoots also come with a lot of nutrients containing vitamins like A, B, C, E, and K.
Wheatgrass shoots are very rich nutrients than any other microgreens they are very effective in fighting with certain cancer diseases. This can be added to smoothies, juices, and dishes too. These contain vitamins like A, B complex, C, E.
Sunflower shoots are another type of microgreens which are rich in fibre helps you to get rid of several types of diseases like piles, haemorrhoids. These are lemony in flavour if you are a lemon person you will definitely love the taste of this shoots.
Procedure to Grow Microgreens at Home
- Firstly, to grow microgreens at home we need good-quality seeds.
- Then a container of required size fills it with soil or homemade compost.
- Microgreens also need sunlight for 12-16 hours a day. So, make sure to put the container in sunlight daily.
- After that, make sure that you don’t over-compress the soil and water it lightly.
- Sprinkle the seeds of your choice on the soil evenly.
- Lightly press the seeds into soil sprinkle few drops of water and cover the container with a lid.
- Check the container daily, sprinkle few drops of water to keep the seeds moist.
- Initially, you don’t need to put in sunlight, after a couple of days remove the plastic lid and expose them to sunlight.
- Exactly after 7-10 days, microgreens should be ready to harvest.
This way microgreens can be grown indoors very easily without much space. As they come with full of vitamins and nutrients make sure to grow at least one variety of these type of plant.
They are very easy to grow at home and are especially cost-effective to boost nutrient intake without spending so much of money on vegetables. Planting at home comes with a lot of benefits like they are full home-grown power-packed with nutrients and vitamins.
No need to worry about the fertilizers and chemicals intake as they are fully grown with the utmost care with the proper amount of sunlight and a proper amount of water is supplied.
These microgreens have gained popularity for their nutritional properties. For an excited healthy experience, try all the microgreens with lemon!
Even though all the microgreens look similar but when tasted they differ you can easily find the difference. As above we mentioned some the microgreens and its flavour of taste. Try each variety and choose the best that suits you and your taste.
Not only in a container but microgreens can also be grown on a growing mat which is available in the market. This comes directly with seeds embedded on it only we need water it daily and put it in the sunlight for the required amount of time.
This growing mat is super easy to use and sustainable in all the conditions. It is foldable and fits in every corner of the house. Those who do not have a garden but wanted to grow microgreens these mats are of best use. This is the next generation of planting.
These days not only microgreens people are preferring to grow each and every crop that can be grown at houses as they are purely harvested without using any fertilizers.
Microgreens are so easy to grow even at home without any complications. Try this way at home and the time need grow these plants is also very less. There are so many sources available to help in process of planting. Various varieties of plants can be grown in the home with ease. Planting gives you so many benefits it calms your mind and enlightens the mood try planting at home. Eat your own home-grown veggies. Stay healthy!!
Khaja Moinuddin, a computer science graduate, finds joy in gardening and homesteading. Join him on this blog as he shares his experiences in homesteading, gardening, and composting