Winter is here! If you’re in need of some fresh growing things in your life, why not try sprouting your own seeds or growing a windowsill garden of microgreens?
Sprouts
Sprouts are young shoots from seeds, beans, legumes, and grasses. They are nutritional powerhouses that contain a high concentration of antioxidant nutrients. Sprouts can be grown in the bottom of a wide-mouth mason jar, covered with cheesecloth or some other porous material, fastened with a rubberband. We sell sprouting seeds from Botanical Interests; detailed instructions are inside each packet. The basic process is
- Place seed in a jar and cover the seeds with water
- Let them soak
- When the seeds begin sprouting, drain off the water and rinse them
- Let the sprouts grow, rinsing them periodically
- When the sprouts are ready, stir them in a bowl of cool water to remove the hulls and skins
- Drain the sprouts and store them in the fridge
Details about sprout varieties can be found here.
Microgreens
Microgreens are grown in a shallow container of soil by a sunny windowsill. They are harvested just above the soil line when the plant is 1 to 2 inches tall. Microgreens include the first pair of leaves, called cotyledons, and one set of “true” leaves. In this stage, nutrients are concentrated, the leaves are tender, and the greens have the essence of the mature plant’s flavor.
You can grow the greens in trays from your garden or repurpose plastic clamshells from the grocery store. Use a mister to water the seeds gently, or water them from below. The soil should stay moist, but not soggy. Details about microgreens can be found here. Look for instructions inside the seed packet.