Hydroponic Microgreens Year Round Indoor Garden

Intro: 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!

Comments

[ishaniavik]

Did you blackout the seeds for first 3-4 days? Blackout means cover them up to cut off all light? I heard that’s essential in the first days before they germinate and till they grow at least a centimetre tall. Want to know if it’s an essential step coz your microgreens look amazing. Also my some of my fenugreek becomes leggy and others hardly grow. Why? How long do fenugreek seeds take to harvest?

[DavidM1069]

Could you post a link to the sieve?

[lynnebiz]

I found one on Amazon when I searched for a plastic flour sifter. However, a cheaper alternative would be Dollar Tree colanders, lined with a paper towel to prevent smaller seeds from falling through. I had an excellent micro-crop with the collapsible colander I already own. I buy #6 cans of tomato puree at a restaurant supply store - going to use those for the water instead of my mixing bowl currently in use.

[markgrogan]

An indoor garden can actually be therapeutic in a way that it doesn't require much space but yet doable for enthusiasts. Furthermore, it saves the hassle of having to keep up with an outdoor garden which would need more work and maintenance in the long run.

[Salman_Ahamed]

Great Job, i like your idea. very simple and anybody could do it at home

[beaskywalk]

looks like a n excelent type of sieve that you have found. I have often thought that there must be better options than what is sold as sprouting equipment, and this looks very much like the solution.

[satosi]

Love this idea for sprouting. I hate when my jar sprouts start getting brown when I haven't managed to get enough water out after rinsing. My last batch of daikon radish sprouts ended up having to be thrown out because of this. It also seems like this method makes the sprouts grow much better as they're reaching for the sun vertically. Will be trying this out very soon.

[abcameo]

I was successful in growing watercress but I made the mistake of letting the roots sit in water the entire time. Using your example, next time I'll use mesh and barely submerge the bottom and see what happens. I'm hoping to keep it constantly growing. Many thanks!

[DwightD1]

I'm going to give this a go with the Wheat Grass for my cats. I think the mesh will hold better than when I sprout the Wheat Grass in soil and the little buggers rip it out by the roots and all.Time to go look for a plastic sieve.

[brad ley]

Can you please tell me if this will work for broccoli sprouting?

[jessyratfink]

What a clever method for sprouting! I love sprouting beans and greens, but I hate how things can get stinky and moldy in no time at all with sprouting jars. This is so much better :)