With more and more people moving into high-density living suburbs or to the city, you might think gardening would be off the table. But that’s not the case at all -even if all you’ve got is a sunny windowsill, you can still grow some of your own food to supplement your weekly grocery bill.
Enter microgreens
These healthy, flavour-packed little greens are easy to grow, even in the smallest of spaces- and yes, even for the brownest of thumbs!
With a few easy tips and how-tos, you’ll be harvesting in no time.
Step one: Choose your microgreens
Microgreens are simply young shoots of leafy vegetables or herbs, harvested when they’re just a few centimetres tall.
You can use common vegetables and herbs seeds or purchase specialised microgreen seed mixes.
Popular options include: alfalfa, amaranth, beetroot, broccoli, cress, radish, mustard, snow peas, peas, kale, sunflower, basil, parsley, coriander, dill, fennel, chives, garlic chives, rocket, sorrel, lemon balm and more.
Step two: Prepare your growing container
You don’t need anything fancy- a shallow container like a seedling tray, egg carton, or recycled plastic fruit punnet will do the trick!
- Make sure your container has drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
- Fill the container with Rocky Point Seed & Cutting Mix, perfect for moisture retention and fast germination. Microgreens have shallow root systems, so they don’t require deep soil—400mm of Rocky Point Seed & Cutting Mix is more than adequate.
Step three: Sow your seeds
Scatter seeds evenly over the seed-raising mix, then lightly cover them with another thin layer of the mix – typically just a few millimetres thick.
Step four: Water and germination
- Mist the seeds well to moisten the soil.
- Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap to maintain humidity during germination.
- Place the container somewhere warm and bright, like a windowsill.
- In 2 –3days, or as soon as the seeds start to sprout, remove the cover.
Step five: Grow time!
Water regularly to keep the mix moist, but not soggy. Bottom watering is highly recommended for Microgreens. Place your tray into a shallow container of water and let it soak for 10–15 minutes. The soil will absorb moisture through the drainage holes without wetting the foliage.
If top watering is necessary, consider using a spray water bottle to avoid overwatering. You want your mix to be moist but not wet.
Ensure the microgreens receive adequate light, either from natural sunlight or grow lights- both wrks well.
Step six: Harvesting
After 1-3 weeks, when your microgreens are a few centimetres tall, they’re ready to harvest! To harvest cut the snip microgreens close to the soil line with clean scissors or a knife.
Want a steady supply? repeat the seed-sowing process every couple of weeks.
Step seven: Eat up!
Add your microgreens to salads, stir-fries, sandwiches, omelettes, fish dishes, grazing platters, smoothies or use them as a garnish! They’re as versatile as they are nutritious.
Tips for success:
Use fresh seed-raising mix each time you sow seeds- leftover root systems from old harvests can restrict new growth.
Avoid overwatering: Soggy soil can lead to fungal problems.
