Are you ready for some micro-gains this week? As part of our month-long Sprout for Health Challenge, we are growing microgreens and strong, healthy habits one day at a time. Microgreens may seem small and insignificant, but their potential to support good health is enormous. Microgreens offer greater nutrient density, heart and gut health support, and natural detoxifying and immunity-boosting properties. Join us today for Micro-Gains to better health!
This week is all about midrogreens and how we can reach for more just as a seed pushes its way through the soil full of energy and potential. Microgreens are an incredibly nutritious food because of their size and harvesting stage. Like sprouts, microgreens do not come from some specialized seed. Instead they are your ordinary root and leafy vegetables that are harvested at a specific point in their development. The microgreen stage occurs after germination from the time the cotyledon leaves have emerged up to the first set of true leaves. Any vegetable with edible leaves and stems can be grown and harvested at this point; however, some are easier to grow and more palatable than others. Most microgreens are ready to harvest within 5-21 days from planting.
Growing microgreens is easy! All you need is a tray, some growing medium, and some seeds. Most microgreens growers favor a 10x10 or 10x20 tray for producing a hefty harvest, but smaller 5x5 or self-watering trays may be preferred for a small harvest and individual serving sizes. Personally, I love self-watering trays as they take the worry out of growing as I can live life on the go.
To start growing, hydrate your growing medium of choice and fill your tray. Coco coir is popularly used because it creates a typical soil type of environment and is a natural byproduct of coconut farming. Other popular hydroponic options include bamboo, micro-mat, coco fiber, ecotone, jute, and biostrate growing mats. While most seeds can be grown with both soil and hydroponic growing mediums, not all thrive hydroponically.
Unlike planting a traditional garden, seeds sown for microgreen harvesting should be densely seeded across the growing surface. There should be a little “elbow room” between seeds to allow space for shedding the seed coat and airflow. Don’t worry too much about nailing this the first time. The more you grow, the more you will find that sweet spot for different seed sizes. When growing larger seeds like peas and sunflowers, soak your seeds for 4-8 hours first to encourage more even germination. Keep them hydrated until you are ready to harvest. Enjoy!
You may find yourself settling into the habit of growing the same things over and over again. Keep things interesting by trying a new microgreen seed or mix. Get extra creative by creating your own unique blend of seeds! Take it up a notch and involve your friends by doing a microgreens taste test. Is your favorite really your favorite? It’s time to find out! We would love to see what you try. Share your results online by tagging True Leaf Market on social media.
In addition to learning about and growing microgreens, this week is also about building good habits. When you think about good habits, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed. But the key to making progress towards any goal is taking it one step at a time. Or one day at a time. Eventually, those small steps will come together for some mighty results just like a seed develops. Consider the ways you can improve your overall well-being with some small and mighty improvements to your everyday habits like these:
We want to see how you sprout for health in 2025! Share your experience each week by tagging True Leaf Market and adding #sproutforhealth2025 to your social media posts.
Check back each week for a new article full of information and ideas on how you can sprout for health into 2025.
1 comment
I harvest and eat sprouts at least once each day. I love them with my egg or shake in the morning and salads the rest of the day!