Growing Microgreens Starter Guide
Organic Kale Microgreens Seeds
Growing Organic Kale Microgreen Seeds
Prepare a level growing surface of the soil or hydroponic medium by lightly patting it down and misting with water until it is wet. Sprinkle the Kale seeds across the surface. Make sure the seeds aren’t overlaying. Water them in with a mister or spray bottle. Place a tray without holes on top. After a day or so, adding a small weight can encourage the seedlings to grow even plumper and meatier for a bolder crunch.
Put the tray in a dark location for 3-4 days if you can’t cover them. After they have all germinated and looking plump, move your seedlings to the sun or under a grow light. Water the tray regularly but allow the soil some time to dry between waterings. The exact amount of time between waterings will be different for everyone based on the room temperature and watering amount. Generally, if growing your seedlings in the sun with a shallow tray, you will have to water them much more frequently than if growing them under a grow light in a deep tray. Try to be consistent with the amount of water you add each time; this will help you know how much to water in the future. They only need an additional week or so to grow once moved to the light.
Benefits of Organic Kale Microgreens
Daily consumption of Kale microgreens can provide health benefits such as improving gut health, cancer prevention, protecting against osteoporosis, fending off diabetes, collagen for hair, skin, and nails, improving eye health, lowering stress levels, and promoting healthy insulin responses. Kale microgreens contain up to 40x more nutrients per gram than their mature kale counterpart; this means you don’t need to eat as much to get the same incredible health benefits.
Culinary Tips
Around 8 days after planting, start taste-testing your micros. Harvest the whole tray when they are to your liking. There is some wiggle room here, depending on how mature you prefer your seedlings. Slice the greens with a sharp knife about 0.5 inches up. Cutting up this high can limit the need for washing your greens (assuming they were grown in an otherwise clean environment). Washing the greens ahead of time can lessen their shelf life and encourage mold growth.
Add these delicious greens to salads, sandwiches, and much more! Eat them fresh as a snack or garnish on a soup. The options are endless. They pair well with a variety of dishes due to their mild flavor and plump crispness.
Tips From Our Gardeners
"My mother always has a batch of microgreens growing in her kitchen. She likes to grow them in multiple aluminum mini-bread pans. That way, she cycles through and always has some fresh greens to eat. Plus, they are very inexpensive! Kale is always in her rotation."
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- Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer |
Other Microgreen Resources:
Microgreen How to Videos
Microgreen FAQ
Seeds per Package:
- 1 oz - Approximately 8,000 seeds
- 4 oz - Approximately 32,000 seeds
- 1 lb - Approximately 128,000 seeds
- 5 lb - Approximately 640,000 seeds
- 25 lb - Approximately 3,200,000 seeds