Why Grow Microgreens
We love to grow microgreens at Planted Places because those babies are packed with nutrition and are pretty to look at. Plus, growing your own microgreens is hands-down the easiest way to get into growing your own food.
Grow Microgreens All Year Long
You can grow them indoors during all seasons. So even if you live in a frosty locale, you can grow microgreens.
Get Your Greens
Did you know? Studies show that microgreens are more nutritious than mature plants. Since they're so nutrient-dense, researchers have even suggested that consumers grow microgreens at home because growing them is an affordable and easy way for people to access nutrient-rich food.
When you have microgreens on hand, they're a quick and easy way to eat your veggies. The tiny greens add mega nutrients to salads, smoothies, sandwiches and more!
What Are Microgreens?
Microgreens are vegetable seedlings in their first stage of growth, in other words, plant babies. You can grow them year-round even in cold climates because they thrive on windowsills. Microgreens have mega benefits, including:
- Up to 40x more nutritious than mature plants.
- Rich sources of vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene.
- Low in oxalates, which are natural compounds present in many foods. A diet high in oxalates can negatively affect the body.
How are Microgreens Different Than Sprouts?
Sprouts and microgreens are different stages of the plant growing cycle. Sprouting happens before the microgreen stage. When growing from seed, the first stage is germination—moistening the seeds in soil or water jumpstarts sprouting. It happens within 3 to 5 days, and no sunlight is necessary.
From days 6 to 14, the sprout will need some sunlight and will get taller and grow leaves—the microgreen stage. Microgreens contain more fiber and nutrients than sprouts. Uncooked sprouts also have a greater risk of food-borne illness than other types of raw veggies.
How to Grow Microgreens - Planting Instructions
Our founder Christy shows our members how to plant microgreen seeds in soil in the video. In addition to their monthly seedling replenishment, our members receive microgreens seeds.
The Dirt on Choosing a Microgreen Growing Medium
In a study published in the Journal of Horticulture, researchers compared the nutrient contents of microgreens grown on vermicompost or hydroponic pads. The results showed “that microgreens grown on vermicompost have greater nutrient contents than those grown hydroponically.” If you're not familiar with vermicompost, here's the skinny. Worms make vermicompost through their digestive process.
Planted Places provides our members with worm castings (vermicompost) to use as a soil amendment/fertilizer because it improves soil health, and healthy soil = healthy plants!
Vermicompost is the product of earthworm digestion and aerobic decomposition using the activities of micro- and macroorganisms at room temperature. Vermicomposting, or worm composting, produces a rich organic soil amendment containing a diversity of plant nutrients and beneficial microorganisms.
Rodale Institute.
Many store-bought microgreens are grown hydroponically. So a benefit of growing them at home in soil is knowing that you're growing the most nutrient-dense food you can. Once a plant is cut, it begins losing nutrients. But if you grow your own microgreens, you can harvest them right before you eat them.
Grow Microgreens With Planted Places With Our Microgreens Growing Kit
As we mentioned earlier, we ship out microgreen seeds to members with their regular seedling replenishments. But we also offer A Year's Worth of Microgreens Kit if you're not ready to commit to growing herbs and leafy greens.
Microgreen Recipe Cards
