Why You Need to Be Sprouting and Growing Microgreens
Introduction
I love to garden and to grow things. I am, however, not a great houseplant keeper. I’m much better with plants that have a sprout, a mature plant, and then compost and the stages in between. I think that the longevity of houseplants, the constant care, or too much care is too much for my executive disfunction. So, what am I to do when the skies are grey and the ground is frozen? It’s not only the growing of things that is at issue. Trying to be as food resilient and self-sufficient as possible means that I need alternate forms of nutrition in the wintertime when fresh green things aren’t readily available outside. By growing sprouts and microgreens I can solve both challenges; I am growing something, and I am in my own small way taking stress off the food system and my family is becoming more resilient and staying healthy.
You too can have fresh veg in the wintertime and by growing in your home you are taking steps to decentralize the food system, helping to ease potential food crisis in the future.
Differences
Speckled Peas
Alfalfa and Salad Mix Sprouts
Now that we have a call to action, what are the differences between sprouting and growing microgreens. In fact, what is a microgreen?
Microgreens are the sprouted seedlings once they have grown their true leaves. Sprouts are seeds that have sprouted but have not gone past the cotyledon stage. The cotyledons are the first immature leaves that sprout form a seed, they look nothing like the more mature leaves and have a similar shape in a lot of case, take squash for instance, as the seed they came from. Both sprouts and microgreens are baby plants, sprouts can be eaten in 5-7 days, but microgreens take 7-12 days depending on the variety. Both are grown for flavor and appearance, although, appearance is more likely to be chosen for in a microgreen as it has its first true leaves. Not every plant can be used for a sprout, you wouldn’t eat an eggplant sprout or a tomato sprout. The fruits of these two species are quite good and safe, but being from the nightshade family the leaves, roots and stems can be toxic in high amounts. The same holds true for microgreens.
Once selected for safety flavor is the next designator for the greens and sprouts. Flavor is very subjective. One of the most popular microgreens is black oil sunflower. I do not care for it at all, I find the taste to be strong bordering on chemically. I am slowly growing through the 3-pound bag I bought anticipating delight. I try not to waste anything so every once in a while, the hens get an entire tray of sunflower microgreens, they love it and I don’t have to feel guilty. Some of my favorites are speckled peas, mung beans and buckwheat. For sprouts many of the varieties have a peppery or mustardy taste. This can be a turn off for some people. I love it, especially in a sandwich or a salad. For this reason, I recommend alfalfa sprouts for a first time go around. They are mild, have a great crunch and are very nutritious.
A more comprehensive article on Microgreens vs. Sprouts.
Health benefits
For both sprouts and microgreens, you must look at the miracle of a seed. The seed has everything that it needs to become a fully mature plants, this goes for a simple clover all the way up to a giant sequoia. Imagine that, sometimes the seed is so small it’s hard to see, but for the first stages of its life it has all the nutrients it needs until it can start photosynthesis on its own. Those nutrients are concentrated, like a tiny zip file squeezed in there with the DNA of these species. Now as the young plant first sprouts most of those nutrients are still there waiting to be used. The nutrients are basic building blocks, minerals, antioxidants, and polyphenols. Many times, the sprouts and microgreens have a higher amount compared to their adult counterparts.
Check out this article if you want to know more about the health benefits.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/microgreens#different-types
Growing
For growing we’ll start with the sprouts. With a few simple items nothing could be easier. The first day put your sprouts in a jar and fill with water until the sprouts are covered by several inches. After 24 hours drain the water and tip upside down to drain. Every twelve (ish) hours fill with water, give a little shake drain, and then turn over to allow any extra moisture to escape. After 5 days you can pull the sprouts out and eat them.
The microgreens are a little more complex, but not any harder. You will need a couple growing trays, if possible one with a solid bottom and one with holes. A heat mat, a shop light and some sterile soil. You can get really complex with your growing station, but you can also take it simple and if you’ve got a good sunny south facing window, you can grow them there. The microgreens, it’s in the name, won’t be getting very big so they can be sown very close together. The seeds can touch, we’ll be harvesting them before they need more room.
A video Tutorial on Sprouting.
If you are wanting to set up an indoor growing area, check out this video.
Eating
There are so many ways to incorporate sprouts and microgreens into your daily meals. In high end restaurants they are often used as edible garnish. From soups, to sandwiches, to salads they add crunch, flavor, and nutrients to any dish you make. Two of my favorite ways to use either green are salads and sandwiches/wraps.
The microgreens can be added to a salad or become the salad itself. In the wintertime we often make a salad composed of several kinds of microgreens with an addition of sprouts. We don’t always add lettuce if we’ve got it on hand we do. It’s also easy to grow chives and other herbs in the house which will add to the complexity of the salads. The microgreens can also be added to fresh spring rolls or as a garnish for winter soups, brightening up the rich heavy flavors associated with winter.
For the sprouts I love making a wrap with sauteed vegetables and seasoned cream cheese. We’ll add pesto if we have any left in the freezer from late summer basil harvests, or fresh farmers cheese. Add any meat of choice or some roasted roots veg and you’ve got a filling health meal that won’t disappoint. Sometimes we’ll even dress the sprouts and garnish an omelet with them, again adding a fresh burst of flavor and crunch to an otherwise rich and creamy meals.
Experiment, whatever you add them to you can be assured that you are adding much needed nutrients and complexity that could be lacking in heavy wintertime meals.
Conclusion
Whether you decide to start with sprouts or microgreens, you will have a rewarding experience knowing you are providing valuable nutrients for you and your family. Both methods are entry level and if you decide to go the route of setting up a growing station for microgreens you will be more than ready to start seedlings for your spring planting. I hope you try one of these winter growing techniques.
Leave a comment about how your grow is going, or if you have questions about how to get started that weren’t answered here. As always, if you enjoyed the article, please share it.
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