Microgreens FAQ’s

While there are a wide variety of microgreens that you can buy (or grow at home), the names of these miniature plants should sound familiar: beets, Swiss chard, broccoli, mustard, arugula, amaranth, and peas among others. Microgreens are simply the versions of these vegetables and herbs when they are in their tiny sprout form.

There are around sixty different kinds of microgreens. Not only do microgreens add a nutritional punch to salads, soups, or sandwiches, but they are also tender and offer delicious flavor.

Do Not Put Wet Microgreens in the Fridge.

They will turn to a stinky mush.
Only put dry microgreens in the refrigerator.

Microgreens, which are very similar to sprouts, are easy to grow at home on a small scale. They don’t take very long to grow (typically around a week) and can be grown all year round in a windowsill or other sunny spot.

Simply plant some seeds of the kind of microgreens or sprouts that you’d like to cultivate, and water accordingly. There are plentiful guides and videos online for how to sprout or grow a wide variety of microgreens.

These superfoods are easy to grow and a great way to get kids involved in growing their own food on a small scale. Kids enjoy sprinkling these little kid-sized leaves onto their own salads or sandwiches. Some microgreens boast bolder flavors than their full-sized counterparts, so be sure to taste them before adding a whole handful. A little may go a long way.

Since microgreens are small and tender, it’s easy to add them to recipes to take full advantage of their nutritional power. Given their small size and high water content, it’s not recommended to cook microgreens, but don’t forget to wash them before eating them.

Here are a few suggestions for how to use microgreens:

Seeds should be stored at 60 degrees Fahrenheit or below. A refrigerator or freezer is fine. Stored properly seeds will last for about a year or two. This will also keep the bugs at bay.

Microgreens have become increasingly popular in the past handful of years, and a great deal of ongoing research seeks to understand all the health benefits these tiny plants offer.

Early research has indicated that microgreens contain up to 40% more phytochemicals (beneficial nutrients and components) than their full-grown counterparts.

Though these little greens are small in stature, they contain extremely high levels of powerful vitamins, minerals, and health-supporting components.

Microgreens can lower blood pressure. Foods that are high in fiber and vitamin K can be helpful in maintaining a healthy blood pressure, and microgreens are high in both of these important elements as well as other vitamins and minerals.

Microgreens might help fight cancer. Research is ongoing into this subject, but some early evidence suggests that sulforaphane — a compound found at especially high levels in broccoli sprouts — may help fight cancer.

Some microgreens can help lower cholesterol. A study found that red cabbage microgreens lower levels of LDL cholesterol, liver cholesterol, and inflammatory cytokines — all factors that can increase your risk for heart disease.

Microgreens can support gut health. Foods that are high in dietary fiber, like microgreens, can ease constipation or other gastro-intestinal distress when eaten as part of a healthy, balanced diet. Research also indicates that dietary fiber serves as a ” prebiotic,” or material that provides an ideal environment for the “good” bacteria in the human microbiome to flourish.

With over 60 varieties of microgreens and microgreen blends available, there is no shortage of tasty and healthy choices when it comes to what to explore.

Some of the most popular varieties of microgreens include:

For a seed, the size of alfalfa or broccoli, the tiny ones, one pound of seed will yield about 6 to 7 pounds of mature sprouts. For a bean, they double in size so that one cup will yield two cups. The same is for sprouting grains. For wheatgrass and barley grass, one tray measuring 10″x20″ will yield about 8 ounces of juice. One pound of the tiny seeds at a rate of 1 tablespoon per day of seed will last for about 60 days.

All measurements are non-scientific and done either in my own kitchen or the kitchen of fellow sprouters.

The following seeds are legumes: Alfalfa, Crimson Clover, Red Clover, Red Lentils, Green Lentils, French Green Lentil, Green Peas, Garbanzo, Soy Beans.

The following seeds are Gluten Free: Fenugreek, Mung Bean, Red Lentil, French Lentil, Green Lentil, Speckled Peas for Shoots, Whole Buckwheat, Buckwheat Groats, Soy Beans, Black Turtle Beans, Popcorn, Garbanzo, Green Pea, Adzuki Bean, Hulled Sunflower, Red Pea, Adzuki Bean for Shoots, Yellow Mustard, Baby Black Sunflower, All Radish, Flax, All Clovers, Cress, Arugula, Pumpkin, Sesame, All Quinoas, Alfalfa, Chia, Broccoli, Onion, Garlic, Dill, Swiss Chard. Red Cabbage, Kale.

Is it mold? Is it mildew? Something else? Not all mold is mold or mildew…sometimes it’s something else. When sprouts are thirsty they put out tiny little microscopic cells called cilia hairs. Cilia hairs are very small cells but we can see them because the roots of the sprouts put out so many. They are tiny enough to get moisture from the atmosphere. This means that the sprouts are thirsty.

If it is mold, then there is a horrible, terrible, disgusting odor associated with it. If it is mold, then it is slimy to the touch and the sliminess does not rinse away. If it is mold, it has a slight grey or blue/grey tint to it. I f it is NOT mold, but are cilia hairs, there is no horrible, terrible, disgusting odor associated with it.

If it is NOT mold, but are cilia hairs, it is not slimy to the touch and it does rinse away only to come back several hours later. If it is NOT mold, it is white in color, like a nice cloud that your sprouts can get moisture from

What to do? Rinse the sprouts for a longer period of time. You are mother nature to them, they can only get their moisture if you provide it for them. So provide them with the water that they need. If you are rinsing your sprouts with the faucet, then sing a nice little song to them for a few minutes. If you are soaking them then go ahead and brush your teeth or comb out your hair. Give them some time with the water. Drain away the excess water when they are done. You may want to rinse an extra time during the day, but really, just give them more time with the water and that should take care of the cilia hair cloud.

Gelatinous seeds form a gel-like sac around the seed in the presence of water. They get gooey, hard to manage and will not sprout using conventional methods such as a jar sprouter or a tray sprouter.

What to do? There are three ways to sprout gelatinous seeds. You can sprout them in soil, you can sprout them using a terra cotta tray sprouter or you can sprout them in a plastic tray sprouter using a non-soil growing medium. These are easily sourced from local nurseries. Sprinkle DRY seeds on to the soil, terra cotta clay sprouter, or non-soil growing medium . Then wet everything, keeping it all moist without puddles. The soil absorbs the gooey stuff and you can sprout as usual making certain the soil is damp and moist but not pooled with water. You do not need a great deal of soil, about ½ will do. Use an organic potting soil. The terra cotta tray sprouter is similar to sprouting in soil as the clay is absorbant. Non-soil growing mediums will also absorb the gooey stuff so that you can sprout as usual. Gelatinous seeds do not do well in jar sprouters.

The sprouting process for these three seeds are all the same. If you are using a tray with soil, you do not need much soil, a small amount will suffice because you are growing to a sprout stage and not a fully mature plant. Use a good potting soil, organic is best.

Soak the seeds in a jar or bowl of water overnight for about 8 to 10 hours. In the morning pour out the water and rinse with fresh water. Put the seeds on the soil. Keep the soil moist, but no puddles. These are ready to eat in about 8 to 10 days. For the sunflower, because they get leggy and spindly, put an inverted tray on top of them. This will make them stronger and not so weak.

Harvest by cutting above the soil line. Sometimes you can get a second harvest. Third harvests do not have the nutritional content as the first two.

If you are using a non-soil growing medium, the directions are similar.

How long do microgreens last after harvest? As a general rule, purchased microgreens typically last 10-12 days in your fridge. If you were to grow your own microgreens and cut them at home, they would last about two weeks, on average.

There are few microgreen pests to worry about. Because microgreens are usually grown inside the house, and they have a short life span there isn’t much contact or time for infestation. The three most common pests are aphids, whiteflies, and fungus gnats.

It can be tempting to try and regrow microgreens after cutting. But most microgreens won’t regrow after cutting. For those that will regrow, it’s usually more trouble than it’s worth. It’s usually best to simply dump out your spent soil and roots and start over with fresh seeds.

Regrowing microgreens is not worth it
In order to regrow, you’d have to leave at least an inch of the shoot (the young stem) and the young plant would have to have established good roots already. Even then, the flavor could be affected and their growth could be slowed.

Even if you buy from someone besides us (GASP!), and they tell you not to worry because they grow indoors and hydroponically, you still want to rinse your microgreens. Seeds are alive, they have bacteria and such living on them

1.  The Rinse & Pat

Snip your microgreens off close to the soil line, or remove them from the package.  Rinse under a gentle stream of water.

Use a clean kitchen towel, or paper towels to gently dry your microgreens.  Remember, do not store your cut microgreens if they are wet.   TIP: If your washed greens are mostly dry, you can slip a paper towel in with your microgreens to absorb any excess water.

Gently pat dry your microgreens with a clean towel or paper towel.  Be gentle.

2. Go for a Spin(ner)

As long as your salad spinner’s holes aren’t too big, a regular salad spinner does a good job.  Cut your microgreens and place them in the basket of your salad spinner.  Use the basket like a colander, allowing a gentle stream of cool water to rinse the microgreens.  Place your rinsed greens into the spinner, and spin.

A salad spinner does a pretty good job of getting your microgreens ready to eat.  However, if you aren’t planning on eating them right away, they still may be too wet for safe storage.  I recommend placing a clean paper towel or clean cloth napkin in with your microgreens before refrigerating.  The towel will absorb some of that extra moisture and prolong the life of your freshly rinsed microgreens.

3. Dunk & Shake

My favorite way to rinse off microgreens is the Dunk and Shake method.  This method only works with living microgreens that are nice and densely sown.  Radish, broccoli, peas, and mustard work well.  Any microgreen that is at least 1.5 inches tall will work.

With this method, you rinse them off and let them air dry.  Because they are still living, and their roots are attached, it is okay to have moisture on the microgreen leaves.

Fill a bowl with water.  Firmly hold on to your microgreen tray.  I place a finger into the microgreens a bit to hold the soil in place and then flip the whole tray upside down into the bowl of water.

Only immerse your microgreens a few inches into the water (you don’t want to immerse past the soil line, or it will get really dirty).

Then flip your microgreens tray back over and give it a shake to remove some of the water.  Let it air dry and now your whole tray is ready for eating!

TIP:  No Matter How You Wash Your Microgreens:

Do Not Put Wet Microgreens in the Fridge.

They will turn to a stinky mush.  Only put dry microgreens in the refrigerator.  To be extra sure, place rinsed and dried microgreens on a clean cloth napkin or paper towel, gently roll, and place in a plastic bag for storage.

The popularity of microgreens in the UK is still very much on the increase, whether that’s with home consumers or in the hospitality industry. People are increasingly valuing their health, appreciate the much better quality of small-scale local food production, and want to buy their food from local suppliers.

Radish. Like broccoli, radishes are one of the fastest- growing microgreens, ready to harvest in as little as six days. They taste great, too, with the same crisp spicy flavor that mature radishes are famous for.

Pea shoots rank among the most popular microgreens for chefs thanks to their delicate appearance and subtle flavor. Chefs also appreciate that pea shoots are affordable, making them an easy addition to any dish. They’re also full of folic acid and antioxidants, as well as vitamins A and C.

Broccoli microgreens
Broccoli microgreens contain more than 550% of the RDA of antioxidant nutrients you need. It has the most complete nutrient profile of any vegetable.

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