Micro Greens – What are they?

‘Micro greens’ is a slightly more complex way of saying tiny, immature vegetable greens. To be exact, they are leafy greens harvested just after the Cotyledon (first) leaves have developed after plant germination. They come in a variety of forms and flavours, just like lettuce or herbs, but they are so much more than just a stunted version of arugula or spinach! And here’s why:

• Micro greens pack a heavy nutrient punch and can contain up to 40 times the nutrients of their mature counterparts.

• The name says it all: these crops are micro and therefore take up little space in a garden, crop field, or grow tray/vertical farm. In fact, you can harvest approximately 10 ounces of micro greens from a single 10X20 tray, using roughly one ounce of seeds. This makes them incredibly space-efficient.

• Micro greens grow quickly! Because they are harvested at an ‘immature’ phase in their development, they are often ready to be cut and eaten within 10-14 days after plant germination. Given that lettuces can take up to sixty days before first harvest, the speedy turnover of micro greens makes them an alluring cash crop.

Micro greens therefore symbolize a vast shift in our way of thinking about agriculture and food production in general. Whereas we have formerly prioritized big, heavy yields- think Franken-corn and GMO strawberries pumped with growth hormones- we are starting to find the value in the little things. If the name of the game is saving space (land), and resources like water, while providing enough nutrients and sustenance to feed an ever-growing human population, then we should all be singing the praise of micro greens, the way of the future!

So next time you’re contemplating what to grow next, give micro greens a thought- they won’t let you down! And for quick and easy instructions on how to get your Micro Garden started in a grow tray, please see below!

Micro Garden Instructions:

1) Pre-soak seeds if desired seed directions recommend it. Typically 6-8 hours. 

2) Place mat in a grow tray fiber side up & sprinkle with recommended seed rate evenly over mat. 

3) Stack trays or put in humidity dome to encourage high germination and strong rooting. Keep in darkness for first 1-4 days depending on the seed. This step has DEFINITELY helped get the best results.

4) Place grow mat under a hydroponic grow light or in direct sunlight for approximately 8-10 hours per day. 

5) Keep the grow mat saturated by spraying once a day. (Maybe twice).

Happy Growing!!

Here’s the link to pick up your very own germination kit and micro-garden from Nutritower:         https://nutritower.com/store/