Microgreens

[Noosner]

Now that 'winter draws on' (thanks G4) I have dug out the Microgreens book I was kindly awarded by GYO mag when I was MOM.

It's very interesting! I have started off some peashoots and radish on the kitchen windowsill.

Have any other Grapes tried this method of growing and if so, which crops have you found successful?

I have such a ludicrous amount of seeds, I thought it might be a good way of getting rid of some.

[Penellype]

I had a go with PSB seeds (which seem to come hundreds to the packet when I need about 4 plants) and thought they were ok. I eat a lot of my salad leaves very small anyway but these were eaten when they had just started producing 2 true leaves. I might have a go with something with a bit more flavour this winter, possibly some of the mustard greens.

[Bren In Pots]

Noosner here's an older thread for you to have a read at :-

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ing_76845.html

I do more sprouting than micro because I like the crunch they add to salads.

[Noosner]

Thanks Penellype and Bren for your contributions. Kale is mentioned in the microgreens book as being a good 'un to experiment with - and as you say, P, you get so many seed to the packet, it seems a good use for some of them.

[kathyd]

Johnsons are selling a range of Microgreens now, and they include beetroot, chard, rocket, basil, fenugreek (as a microgreen as well as a sprouting seed), radish and coriander. I've tried basil which worked really well and is nice sprinkled on tomato salads or anything pasta-ish, and coriander which I'm less keen on, simply because it germinated one seed at a time quite randomly and I've never had enough to do anything useful with! I did chuck a few sparse leaves into a salad though and they were definitely tasty . Fenugreek smells a bit curry-like, so wondering if this might be good with er.. well curries?

[Noosner]

Oooh, thanks Kathyd, I've actually got all those seeds in store, except the coriander and fenugreek so I'll try them. I had thought of trying basil but was unsure how it would fare on our windowsills which are a bit draughty. Perhaps I'll try it on an upstairs window and move it back a bit from the glass, as it's surprising how chilly it is close to. Where did you grow yours?

[BertieFox]

I didn't have much success with this as the seedlings, grown in winter, tended to damp off when sown close together. They also need more nutrition than you can ordinarily supply in a normal seed tray, unless using a hydroponic system.

I find winter greens and salad greens produce more for the given space by allowing more space around each separate plant. I'm about to try komatsuna greens which apparently can be grown all winter under cover, so I might try some as micro greens and others with normal spacings and compare the harvest.

[kathyd]

Oooh, thanks Kathyd, Where did you grow yours?

I grew mine on the kitchen windowsill, but it's not particularly light and the house isn't hugely hot either... we live in an old stone cottage and have small windows and no central heating. Gets nice and warm when the wood fired cooker is on in the kitchen, but cools down a lot at night, and probably isn't as warm as a 'proper' centrally heated house. It's not draughty though, so I don't know if that would make a difference. Maybe you could protect from draughts with a plastic bag over the pot or something? Or a propagator lid maybe, or cut off plastic bottles?

[kathyd]

I didn't have much success with this as the seedlings, grown in winter, tended to damp off when sown close together. They also need more nutrition than you can ordinarily supply in a normal seed tray, unless using a hydroponic system.

If you use the official Johnsons Microgreens growing tray, it works like a hydroponic system - you fill the little tray with water, line the top with kitchen roll and sprinkle the seeds on top. Spray them daily until they grow roots which reach the water, then keep the water topped up. It's quite fun for a change .

[Noosner]

Good luck with the komatsuna, BF. I've never tried growing any sort of greens or lettuces in winter, though I've got some seeds of winter varieties. I assumed I'd missed the boat for sowing, back in the autumn. Is it possible to sow them now, under cover or indoors?

Great idea about the protection, KathyD. Now why didn't I think of that?

[Penellype]

I've just sown some mixed salad greens today with the intention of growing them indoors. The mix includes komatsuna, mizuna, mustard, pak choi and rocket. I grew some of these indoors for baby leaves last February - they took about a month to get to edible size.

[Noosner]

Oh, that sounds great, Penellype. I've got mizuna, mustard, rocket and some winter lettuce varieties so I might give those a try. Our windowsills are going to be crowded again, just when Mr Noosner thought it was safe...

[BertieFox]

Good luck with the komatsuna, BF. I've never tried growing any sort of greens or lettuces in winter, though I've got some seeds of winter varieties. I assumed I'd missed the boat for sowing, back in the autumn. Is it possible to sow them now, under cover or indoors?

Great idea about the protection, KathyD. Now why didn't I think of that?

The Chinese greens like Pak Choi and Komatsuna really DO grow in the winter unlike many other things which people say will do so but really just sit there until spring warms things up. Obviously they like a light position and a bit of extra warmth as in window sills or conservatories, greenhouses or frames, of course, but you would certainly succeed in sowing these now (unless the winter is really dire!)

[Noosner]

Thanks BertieFox, I will try them! I am a novice with Oriental greens, so that will be interesting. My only experience so far is some Pak Choi plug plants I bought in a weak moment this year, mainly because they were so pretty (dark red), and some mizuna which I grew from seed, which was quite successful but got unruly.