Microgreens are simply young seedlings that can quickly and easily be grown at home. These are said to have great nutritional value, as well as adding flavour, texture and colour to our dishes. A huge number of plants can be grown in a very small area and at minimal cost. They are ideal if you have little or no garden, and can be grown year round on windowsills or a warm greenhouse and outside on a patio or balcony when temperatures permit. They can be used as a garnish, or added to salads, sandwiches and wraps and soups.
Method
- Fill pots or trays with a quality, free draining multipurpose compost.
- Sow the microgreens seeds thickly on the surface of the compost. Water in with a mist sprayer and continue to keep the compost just moist but not waterlogged.
- Place on a sunny windowsill. Ideal temperatures are 21-25C (70-75F). Light will often aid germination so do not exclude it. In winter you may wish to use a propagator or seal the pot or tray in a plastic bag to maintain higher temperatures.
- Harvest by snipping off just above the soil at the point when two true leaves have appeared (not the first cotyledon or seed leaves that appear just after germination). This is usually after one to three weeks. Harvest just prior to eating to preserve nutritional value. Many varieties will reshoot after harvest, providing successional crops.
- For a continuous supply sow seed every ten days.
A selection of suitable seeds to sow
Microgreens Pak Choi ‘Purple Rain’ F1
Microgreens Pak Choi ‘Purple Rain’ will add a splash of colour to your sandwich with its bright green and burgundy leaves. The young stems deliver a mild, sweet flavour that makes a superb salad garnish.
Microgreens Broccoli ‘Green’
The pale green shoots of Broccoli ‘Green’ microgreens offer a satisfying crunch. The mild broccoli flavour has a slightly bitter aftertaste that adds an edge to garnishes, salads, wraps and sandwiches.
Microgreens Swiss Chard ‘Red Chard’
Microgreens Swiss Chard ‘Red Chard’ have a distinctive appearance with their pink stems and slender leaves. These tasty shoots are sweet, with an earthy aftertaste that makes an exciting addition to sandwiches, wraps and salads.
Microgreens Mustard ‘Wasabina Improved’
Microgreens Mustard ‘Wasabina Improved’ is ideal for adding a spicy kick to stir fries! The peppery shoots of this oriental mustard are topped with bright green leaves that add a nutritious and flavoursome bite to sandwiches, wraps and salads.
Microgreens Radish (Leaf) ‘Sangria’
Microgreens Radish Leaf ‘Sangria’ will bring colour and flavour to your favourite sandwich! These tasty purple shoots are topped with bright green leaves which make this a particularly attractive salad garnish too. These delicious Radish shoots have a peppery, hot bite.
Microgreens Kale ‘Nero di Toscana’
These tasty Cavolo Nero microgreens have a sweet and mild Kale flavour. The pale shoots make the perfect flavoursome garnish for salad, wraps and sandwiches.
Microgreens Mustard ‘Red Lace’
These colourful shoots deliver on both looks and flavour! Microgreens Mustard ‘Red Lace’ boast white stems with contrasting maroon-purple leaves. As you would expect from a mustard, the taste is peppery, though not overpowering. Perfect for adding interest to salads, wraps and sandwiches.
Microgreens Salad Rocket ‘Victoria’
Rocket ‘Victoria’ microgreens have an intense flavour, adding a peppery bite to salads or sandwiches. These tasty shoots make the perfect salad garnish and add a punchy flavour to sandwiches and wraps.
Microgreens Chives ‘Garlic’
The slender shoots of Garlic Chives make delicious microgreens with a distinctive mild garlic flavour that brings a tasty treat to sandwiches, wraps and salads.
Microgreens Cabbage ‘Red’
Attractive purple shoots with bright green leaves provide plenty of crunch for your salads and sandwiches. Packed with healthy nutrients, Red Cabbage microgreens deliver a delicious, sweet cabbage flavour.
Microgreens ‘Perilla/Shiso Red’
These Basil-like shoots bring a mild liquorice flavour to Japanese salads and sushi. Microgreens ‘Perilla/Shiso Red’ is an attractive variety with red tinted, fresh green shoots and leaves. Add it to stir fries for an authentic Oriental flavour, or simply enjoy some shoots in a sandwich.
Microgreens Mizuna ‘Green Mix’
This mild, Oriental mustard has a gentle peppery flavour, without being overpowering. Microgreens Mizuna ‘Green Mix’ are white stemmed with fresh green leaves, that make a tasty addition to salads, wraps and sandwiches.
Microgreens Kale ‘Red Russian’
The robust taste of Kale ‘Red Russian’ microgreens are delicious in salads and sandwiches. The flavour is similar to mustard, but without the spicy kick. With attractive pale purple stems, bright green leaves and a slightly nutty aftertaste, these crunchy shoots deliver on both looks and flavour!
Microgreens Mizuna ‘Red Empire’ F1
Wraps and sandwiches will be transformed by the mild, peppery flavour of Microgreens Mizuna ‘Red Empire’. This Oriental salad produces pale shoots with dark green-purple foliage that makes a lively, slightly spicy addition to salads too.
To view these seeds and microgreen kits at Thompson & Morgan click here
Mark Snelling
Images copyright Gardenforpleasure.co.uk
Seed descriptions copyright Thompson & Morgan
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