Hydroponic Microgreens Year Round Indoor Garden

Always wanted to grow fresh microgreens indoors. It would be nice to enjoy fresh microgreens even during the colder months. Initially, was growing using soil later wanted to try out the hydroponic method of growing. This method is a very simple, compact, clean and requires very fewer items. As the microgreens can be harvested within 10 to 15 days changing water or adding any fertilizer is not required. Easy to grow easy to harvest. tastes very fresh and crisp.

Step 1: Things Needed

1) A container to hold water (I used a bowl)

2) A Mesh ( I used the mesh from a flour sieve)

3) Seeds ( I used fenugreek seeds, mustard, wheatgrass)

4) Water (normal tap water)

Note:

* Choose the container such that the mesh can be placed comfortably in the container and also is able to hold the required amount of water.

* Initially tried out a strainer but that was curved at the bottom holding fewer seeds. Flour Sieve was flat at the bottom so used it.

Step 2: Mustard Micro Greens

1) Spread the mustard seeds on a mesh and place the mesh on top of a bowl of water in such a way that the water touches the seeds(not completely immersing the seeds)

2) Within a day or two, the seeds get soaked and start to sprout.

3) Slowly you can see the roots being developed below the mesh and shoots above the mesh.

4) I used normal tap water at room temperature(no fertilizer). Also, I never changed the water only added some when the water level came down.

5) Placed it on the kitchen countertop by the window where it receives some sunlight. (Outside temperature was ranging from -10 to -20 degrees and inside temp 18 to 20 degrees)

6) By 10 to 12 days, the fresh mustard microgreens should be ready for harvest. It is very clean to harvest and tastes lovely.

Note:

* Initially placed the mesh along with the sieve for support for the seeds until they sprout.

* Once sprouted, removed the sieve and placed the mesh alone.

Step 3: Fenugreek Microgreen

1) Followed the same steps as mentioned in the growing of mustard microgreens.

2) The fenugreek seeds had a faster germination rate compared to mustard seeds.

3) The fenugreek seeds needed more water compared to mustard seeds.

4) The fenugreek microgreens take little longer than mustard microgreens to be harvested.

5) It tastes lovely and also fenugreek microgreens have less spice taste than the mature fenugreek leaves.

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Step 4: Wheat Grass Microgreen

1) Followed the same steps as mentioned in the growing of mustard microgreens.

2) The wheatgrass seeds had more or less the same germination rate compared to mustard seeds.

3) The wheatgrass seeds needed a little more water compared to mustard seeds.

4) The wheatgrass microgreens take more or less the same time to be harvested as mustard microgreens.

5) The wheatgrass microgreen had a lovely weaved root basket formed.

6) The Wheatgrass microgreens have a strong flavor when allowed to grow longer than the tender ones.

Step 5: Fenugreek Microgreen Omelette

1) Harvest the required amount of fresh fenugreek microgreens by chopping above the mesh or can be pulled out too.

2) Cut the roots of fenugreek microgreens, give it a wash and chop it.

3) In a bowl, add chopped fenugreek microgreen, chopped onion, grated carrot, mixed with egg and seasoned with salt and pepper.

4) Make the omelette and enjoy. Yummy!

Step 6: Wheatgrass Microgreen Smoothie

1) Harvest the required amount of fresh wheatgrass microgreens and grind it in a blender with some water.

2) Then filter it and collect the wheatgrass juice.

3) In a blender, add the filtered wheatgrass juice, orange juice, banana, apple, spinach, blend it well and enjoy!

These are some of the recipes using microgreens!