Know the Best Growing Medium for Microgreens, and a Friendly Microgreens Set Up You can Do at Home
- Green Life Now
- Feb 18, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: Feb 20, 2022
What Growing Medium is Best for Microgreens?
Microgreens are cultivated in a growing medium and are trimmed at the base and eaten. This growing medium is one of the most important decisions to make when growing microgreens. The ingredients of growing medium are very important for plants, it provides moisture, oxygen, and suitable nutrients which are necessary for the solid structure of plants. It’s simply plays a major role in determining the yield and quality of microgreens.
Some growers use potting soil, others prefer soilless medium like coconut coir. You can get really creative and resourceful with what you use. You can customized potting mix at home and experiment what works best for and learning about what makes a good growing medium for your microgreens.
There are many growing mediums out there like soil-free media which composed of different non-soil components like coconut coir, perlite and vermiculite blends. Or through hydroponic media that involves using a pad that retains water to keep germinating seeds and new greens wet.
Here are some quality organic seed starting mixes:
• Peat Moss/Coco Coir increases water retention, provides organic matter.
• Perlite/Vermiculite promotes aeration and drainage and prevents soil compaction.
• Compost/Fertilizer helps to hold nutrients in the soil.
> Coconut coir
Coconut coir is cheap and easily accessible. It’s natural waste product resulting from the processing of coconuts which comes from the outer shell of the coconut husks with fibers separated, cleaned and sorted. It absorbs more water easily and drains well, and rich in carbon which is useful addition to the compost pile. You can reuse the soil over and over again, with the root remains will soon be turning again into organic matter and fertilize the soil itself. In this way, it saves you a lot of money, and also it’s environmentally friendly.
Coconut coir is available also in tightly compressed bricks or disks which need to be hydrated in order to expand to its full volume. You just need to get a big bucket, add the coconut coir in it and add water, mix it all until the time you get a soil-like appearance and consistency.
The coconut coir is versatile substance that can be used to improve difficult soil, it helps sandy soil retain nutrients and moisture. And for clay-based soil, coir improves soil quality, preventing compaction and allowing freer movement of moisture and nutrients. However for some types of microgreens it can be slightly too acidic which are outside the 5.5 - 6.5 pH range.
> Sphagnum Peat Moss
Peat moss is derived from Sphagnum, a bog-dwelling soft moss that contains decomposed sphagnum with fibrous remains formed by other living things found in peat bogs, forming a rich matter.
Peat Moss can be subbed out with coco coir. It has the ideal consistency to hold ton of water, making you do less watering, and even if the soil is saturated with water, it maintains some level of soil aeration. It’s has better absorption, holding water and gradually releases it into the microgreens roots. It’s convenient that you can absolutely add too much water to your peat moss trays. It’s a flexible growing medium, great for new to growing microgreens.
The average pH level of peat moss is 3.5 and gets closer to 6. This makes it more acidic perfect for plants that have pH acidic level.
It’s also a great incubator for seeds to begin their sprouting process, its absorbency helps the seeds, and sterility of peat moss doesn’t introduce harmful bacteria or fungus when you add it to soil.
However Peat Moss is lack of reusability and has environmental downsides, and quite pricey. But if your soil has issues with dryness and the plants you’re growing need a more acidic pH level, peat moss is very good for you.
> Vermiculite
Vermiculite is a group of minerals that is mined from the ground. It is good for soil mix which provides both water and nutrient retention. And its porosity is great for retaining moisture while also creating space for air to reach healthy plant roots.
It can hold up to 4 times its volume in water, and retains common plant nutrients such as ammonium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Vermiculite also has a more consistent pH level, which is neutral at 7. Molds are never a factor as it has natural pH balance that cannot be disturbed. However it’s slightly more expensive than Perlite, and Vermiculite is considered non-renewable, so it’s not quite as good for our planet.
> Perlite
Perlite is form of “puffed” rock that are formed under high heat and pressure in the earth’s crust. It’s almost same with vermiculite however it holds much air retention than vermiculite. It makes soil lighter and helps retain water. Its structure forms of little bubbles that holds air, which helps aeration and drainage of the soil. Perlite pH level ranges to from 6.5 to 7.5.
> Compost
Compost is full of macro and micronutrients, it adds fertility, organic matter, and holds water and drainage to growing mediums whether it’s made from manure or is plant-based. It’s one of the most eco-friendly and easy to replenish. And also one of cost-conscious alternatives to peat moss.
It’s good idea to have some in your soil mix, but if you’re making your own soil mix be careful not to add too much compost. This can lead to nutrient burn especially on delicate seedlings, and result to soil inconsistency. Note that microgreens like a nice spongy consistency to the soil, it allows the roots to easily move through your soil and grab what they need.
It’s recommended to keep compost around 20% just to make sure the greens are able to get the nutrients they need.
> Organic Fertilizers
It’s wise to add organic fertilizers at some point in plant’s life. As plants grow, they consume the nutrients in the soil, and these nutrients have to be replaced somehow in order to maintain productive soil.
> Potting Mix
Potting soil is a mixture of peat moss, perlite, sand, compost and other ingredients to provide water and aeration. Soil that’s rich in nutrients produces healthy, great tasting microgreens.
When you mix your own potting soil you can ensure that there are no synthetic chemicals and foreign objects. It’s fulfilling knowing exactly what the best blend for your soil.
If you work long hours and have a busy schedule, it’s much easier to grab a bag of commercial potting mix. There are some great potting soil brands and organic options out there that already been sterilized, and you have everything your sprouts need for survival. Look for a moisture control label which also has perlite and vermiculite.
Things to Consider for Good Potting Mix
> Water Retention
A good soil mix should be able to retain water. It’s vital to keep the soil moist but not too soggy, otherwise you will see mold.
Adding perlite and vermiculite in potting mix provides soft and spongy texture that holds water greatly on soil.
> Air Retention
Soil aeration will allow microgreen roots to breathe, prevent rotting and provide good water drainage. You can add peat moss or coconut coir to soften the soil and improve the soil aeration.
The balance of soil hydration and aeration is important, there are a number of soil amendments that help to moderate moisture and air in the root zone and do it simultaneously.
> Nutrients
Growing microgreens require to absorb nutrients from the soil, it includes organic matter (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and minerals.
> Growing Pad
You may possibly grow indoors without access to garden, so soil-based growing mediums might not always be easy to source.
One of the most popular ways to grow microgreens without using soil is referred to as hydroponic. In this method, you use different growing mediums other than soil to grow a variety of microgreens like growing mats.
Growing mats are made of mostly synthetic fiber, a natural fiber like hemp, coconut, jute, and wood are the most common.
It’s designed for maximum water retention and provides a support system for the roots of microgreens. It’s easier to use, you just lift the pad pour enough water to cover the ridges in the bottom tray, and replace the pad. Then mist them about 10-20 times so that the mats are moist. As the greens roots develop, you’ll find yourself watering them more frequently.
Pic grow sell
You can directly package and sell your microgreens with the roots and grow pad included. Some customers prefer to see the entire plant and get the freshest cut as possible.
It’s less messy than soil but quite expensive and aren’t reusable.
How to Grow Hydroponic Microgreens
> Ensure the trays are scrubbed and clean.
> Place the growing pad into the tray, and pour the nutrient solution over the pad. The pad should be saturated, but remain uncovered by the solution.
> Gently wring out the pad and flatten so that it’s not dripping.
> Sprinkle the seeds
> Mist the seeds thoroughly so that water activates the growing process.
> Cover the trays in 2-3 days so that the seeds are in complete darkness. This will provide the darkness and humidity the seeds need to germinate. Make sure to mist them thoroughly once a day so that the seeds never get dry and encourage germination.
> Check the pad and seeds every 12 hours. It’s essential to keep the seeds and pad stays moist.
> After two-three days of darkness, uncover the seeds and place them in sunny south-facing direction.
> Start watering them from the bottom tray to keep the substrate moist.
> Once the microgreens are in proper size, it’s time to harvest. Use clean pair of scissors to cut them about 1 inch above the substrate. Most seeds harvest time is about 12 days.
Stick them in the fridge or freezer to keep them stay fresh, its great addition to salad, sandwiches or smoothies.
As general rule of thumb for all growing medium: Ensure that the medium stays moist by watering every day or two, depending on how quickly your growing medium dries. This is something microgreen growers need to pay very close attention to stop mold growth.
> Start your Microgreens Set Up at Home
Microgreen crops are simple to plant and only have to grow for a couple of weeks to be ready for harvest. And it’s best grown indoors, anyone can begin growing their own microgreens like simple light setup in house, garage, apartment or condo.
Growing microgreens can be a profit whether it’s just a small scale, medium business or large operation. The upfront costs of starting a small microgreens setup are very cheap. The basic items you need to get started are below, which are pretty inexpensive.
• Seeds, for beginners focus on growing lettuces, kale, herbs, pea shoots, arugula and sunflower they are nutrient-rich and fast growing microgreens.
• Soil or another growing medium. Use soil mix for indoor plants and growing medium that is amended to allow water retention, air circulation and provide nutrients.
• Trays, choose trays that strategically maximize your space and trays that have drainage holes. Label the trays with the name of the seeds and date planted. This will help you make better decision on future plantings.
You can start with four trays with standard nursery seedling trays around 200mm x 300mm, it’s great as any larger trays as these can be too large to handle, and the microgreens can be difficult to cut. As you grow your skills and know more techniques in growing microgreens you can upscale your trays and produce high yields of microgreens.
• Lights preferably an LED lights, they are cheap, efficient and effective. You can attach lights to a desk lamp, existing shelving, or simply make a shelf. Consider installing a timer on the lights if ever you forget to turn them off one night, it should be ON for approximately 12-14 hours a day.
• Small Fan, computer fan will suffice for air circulation to prevent mold and fungus.
• Consider shelves and humidity dome trays as you grow your business. Humidity dome will help you get higher germination rates, and reduce the time and effort you need to keep soil moist for seed germination.
If done efficiently, and with a small amount of practice and patience, the correct seed choice and irrigation techniques you will have a high-profit margin, the profit is in high value of microgreen yields. There is always market for microgreens because of its delicious and nutritional value chefs, supermarkets and direct customer want to buy them directly from growers.
Learn more about Growing Microgreens:
Impact of Fertilizer & Sanitation to Prevent Disease and Maintain Nutritional Quality of Microgreens
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