ABSTRACT
Sprouts and microgreens are very unique crops both in their use and growing� They are used in sandwiches, salads, garnishes, and cooking� Mung bean sprouts are popular in cooking, especially in Chinese and oriental cuisine�
Sprouts of alfalfa, beans, radish, broccoli, and mixtures of alfalfa with onions, garlic, clover, cabbage, fennel, fenugreek, kale, leek, lentil, mustard, cow peas, and green peas are popular nowadays� Many are blended with alfalfa, which makes up 60%–80% of the mix� The seeds of these plants are raw and untreated, and hence the sterilization of their surface is imperative to prevent any possible presence of human transmitted diseases like Escherichia coli and Salmonella. Purchase the seeds from a reliable source that screens them for the presence of these diseases� For example, Johnny’s Selected Seeds are tested to be negative for the presence of these diseases and certified “organic�” They also offer a “sprout mix” that contains broccoli, China Rose radish, alfalfa, and Red Russian kale� They describe this mix as “Various shades of green leaves and pink and white stems with a crisp mildly spicy flavor�”
If you wish to grow sprouts, it is easiest to purchase a small kitchen unit such as that offered by Johnny’s Selected Seeds� They have a “Bioset Germinator” that is specifically designed for germinating seeds� It has a unique siphon action that controls moisture and humidity throughout and is arranged in three layers to separate different crops� It measures about 8″ tall by 6″ in diameter and sells at a cost of $22� They also offer germination kits that are five bags of sprout seeds to fit the germinator�
As mentioned earlier, it is important to sterilize all seeds that will be grown for sprouts and microgreens� Sterilize with about 4000 ppm active chlorine� Use a 10% bleach solution soaking the seeds for about 5-10 min� For example, “Clorox” it has 5�25% active ingredient of sodium hypochlorite� A 10% solution, therefore, will contain 5250 ppm of sodium hypochlorite (1% = 10,000 ppm; so dilution to 10% is 10% × 5�25% × 10,000 ppm = 5250 ppm)� This concentration is good for hard seed coats such as those of alfalfa and Mung beans� For microgreens sterilize seeds having softer seed coats, such as amaranth and lettuce, for 4-5 min� Simply watch the bleach solution as you swirl the seeds around in a glass� If the solution starts to become brown, it indicates that the seed coats are starting to break down� At that point the sterilization process is adequate� If you continue longer, there is a risk that the chlorine solution will damage the seed�
Rinse the seeds with raw water several times and place them in the growing containers� Cleanliness is of the highest priority to prevent infection by fungi and bacteria� Use disposable gloves when spreading the seeds�
Both sprouts and microgreens are grown in your home, so temperatures and humidity levels are fine� You may grow them on the kitchen counter or in a bay window� Sprouts do not require any set amount of light, but microgreens should have 14 hours of light of similar intensity to other crops� However, you may use several 30-watt compact fluorescent lights suspended about a foot above the trays to meet their needs� That is much easier than the lighting used with your hydroponic garden� Even though sprouts and microgreens are not thought of as hydroponic, they really are� For that reason, I wish to present their growing methods�
Because microgreens are grown under light, they are more nutritious than sprouts� They are generally grown only to their cotyledon stage or slightly longer with the first appearance of true leaves (Figure 26�1)� Microgreens grow in the presence of light permitting photosynthesis to occur and the development of chlorophyll (green) and Anthocyanin (purple) pigments� This pigment formation gives the microgreens added nutrients compared to sprouts� Anthocyanin pigment is high in iron content� The other difference between sprouts and microgreens is that with sprouts you eat the shoots and seeds, whereas with microgreens you simply cut off the shoots above the growing substrate leaving the seeds and seed coats behind� This is an added
safety factor in avoiding any illness as the human sicknesses attributed to sprouts are mainly located on the seed coats if not sterilized sufficiently�
Microgreens are very easy to grow and give prolific production� They take a little longer to harvest stage than sprouts, which take 4-5 days� Some radish microgreens will be ready within 5-6 days, but most other crops take up to several weeks� Therefore, when combining different crops of microgreens, you should be aware of the cropping cycles in order to mix those of similar growing periods� In catalogs of microgreen seed providers, the seed varieties are classified into the categories of fast and slow growing� This assists you in the choice of crops to mix within one tray so that they mature at similar times� Seed companies such as Johnny’s Selected Seeds also offer several micro mixes as a mild or spicy mixture with varieties that grow well together and give a unique flavor�
Some of the fast-growing varieties include cresses, Chinese cabbage, mustards, Mizuna, radish (Daikon, Hong Vit, and Red Rambo), Pac Choi, Red Russian kale, purple kohlrabi, and Tatsoi� Slow-growing varieties include arugula, beets, sorrel, chard, Komatsuna scallions, Red Garnet Amaranth, basils, orach, and Red Giant mustard� A summary of the most popular microgreens is given in Table 26�1� Try other crops as well� A little experimentation can result in discovering a very appealing crop!
