What seeds are used for planting on microgreens?

Following the fashion for sprouted seeds, a new hobby came - growing sprouts with two real leaves (microgreen or microgreens). It should be borne in mind that not any planting material is suitable for sowing: seeds for microgreening must be environmentally friendly, not chemically treated. Domestic manufacturers are just setting up the production of such products. Basically, seeds intended for sowing on microgreens are imported from foreign countries.

Crops suitable for planting on microgreens

A limited list of crops is suitable for planting on microgreens. It includes some vegetables, herbs, cereals.

The most popular are:

• watercress;
• amaranth;
• basil;
• arugula;
• beet;
• peas;
• oats;
• lentils;
• buckwheat;
• cabbage;
• sunflower.

For planting, beans, beans, nightshade crops cannot be used. Their greens contain toxic substances that can cause food poisoning.

Microgreens are ready for cutting in 7-14 days (depending on the crop) from the moment of sowing. By this time, the sprouts reach a height of 6-7 cm and 2 true leaves have already been formed on them. It is in this phase that plants contain the maximum amount of nutrients - vitamins, minerals, biologically active components. In the future, seedlings spend this supply for their growth and development, therefore, it makes no sense to overexpose microgreens.

What is the difference between seeds for planting on microgreens from ordinary seeds

Microgreen seeds should be purchased from specialized stores or ordered online. Ordinary seed for planting vegetables and grains in the garden is not suitable for growing sprouts. The fact is that producers foresee possible risks for vegetable crops associated with unfavorable environmental conditions, temperature extremes, and the presence of pathogenic microflora in the soil.

To keep the plants strong and healthy, the seeds are prepared in advance in production. Before selling, the seed is processed:

• fungicides;
• bactericidal and antiviral compounds;
• growth stimulants.

Seeds for growing microgreens differ from ordinary seeds in that they are not treated with harmful substances. The sprouts grown from such seeds retain all their benefits and at the same time do not poison the body. Although it must be admitted that such seeds are more picky about germination conditions.

The difference also lies in the packaging. Seed products intended for growing crops in the garden are packaged in bags weighing from 0.1 to 5 grams. When planting on greens, this amount is too small, because the sowing must necessarily be dense.

Seed material intended for growing microgreen is packed in packages weighing:

• 50 g;
• 100 g;
• 200 g;
• 500 BC

It is much more convenient and cost effective. The difference in cost can be dozens of times.

Manufacturers pre-test seeds for sale, determining the percentage of germination, the need for light and moisture. On the basis of this data, recommendations for the buyer for the cultivation of a particular crop are developed. When ordering seeds for germination for microgreens, you can always get information support and the necessary advice.

Benefits of seeds for growing microgreens from Holland

Dutch seeds have always been the benchmark for quality. Producers in the Netherlands have a well-deserved reputation and have been at the forefront of the seed market for many years. This became possible due to:

• huge investments in breeding work;
• testing;
• testing the final product.

The seeds are not actually grown in Holland itself. In this country, only the final revision and packing of the planting material takes place. The rather harsh climate of the Netherlands makes it unjustified to plant various crops in order to obtain seeds. For this, there are more favorable climatic zones used by Dutch breeders as areas in which plants are grown for the purpose of collecting seed.

These are the following countries:

• Italy;
• New Zealand;
• France;
• Australia;
• Chile.

Seeds of beets, cabbage and other crops are grown here. The Dutch on the spot carry out the strictest control over the observance of technology. As a result, the final product is of excellent quality and low cost; such seeds are quite competitive on the market.

Many Russian firms today are official representatives of Dutch companies. Purchase of seeds from official distributors guarantees full compliance of the planting material with the highest standards. Unfortunately, in the market it is often possible to encounter a fake of poor quality, so the choice of a supplier must be carefully considered.

Where to buy seeds for germinating microgreens?

You can start looking for seeds in your city by visiting several gardening shops. Attention should be paid to large packages of seeds, in parallel with the seller they clarify information about whether the planting material was processed by the manufacturer. Usually this information is known to trade enterprises. To begin with, you can choose 2-3 crops and test the cultivation technology on them.

You can also order planting material on the Internet. It is enough to make a search query about the need to buy seeds for planting on microgreens. The companies known today for the sale of organic material:

• "We sow the seeds";
• "My Greens";
• "Ilyinsky herbs",
• "Search";
• "7 seeds".

The best seeds, they are also the most expensive, come from Holland. You can try using material from a Russian manufacturer. If there are doubts about the quality, you must first purchase a small batch of goods and plant microgreens according to all the rules.

How to sow seeds for microgreens correctly?

The technology for growing microgreens is not complicated, but has its own nuances. We sow the seeds in a wide tray with low sides, filling it with peat. Suitable containers are disposable plastic containers, glass or ceramic baking containers.

The soil layer should be 3-4 cm thick.Often other materials are used instead of earth:

• linen rugs;
• coconut fiber;
• mineral wool;
• artificial felt;
• vermiculite;
• paper towels;
• gauze (in several layers).

The difference between the hydroponic method and traditional planting is that the microgreen is grown without soil, the sprouts remain clean, they do not need to be washed. Land use is justified if microgreens are grown for sale. Sprouts in plastic containers with soil will have a longer shelf life, cut greens are stored for only 2-3 days at a temperature of 4-6 ° C.

Sowing technology:

1. Before sowing, the seeds are soaked for 6-8 hours in purified water, and then laid out in a continuous layer in a container with soil or substrate.
2. From above, the container must be covered with a foil with holes for ventilation.
3. When the sprouts hatch, the shelter is removed, the tray is rearranged to a lighted place and kept at a temperature of 20-22 ° C (more precisely, the temperature regime is selected depending on the culture).

As a care, only watering will be needed. Water is carefully poured into a tray or sprouts are sprayed 2 times a day from a spray bottle. In autumn and winter, microgreens are supplemented with a fluorescent lamp or phytolamp, including lighting for several hours in the morning and evening. Cutting is carried out with sharp scissors, removing the entire batch at the same time or choosing the strongest shoots first.

The quality of the seeds directly depends on how successful the cultivation of microgreens will be. In pursuit of savings, you can run into a fake and you will have to do the sowing again. However, the high price also does not mean that elite products are offered for sale. Often, the grower simply packs a batch of untreated seed and labels it “eco”. When choosing planting material, it is better to be guided by common sense and previously studied information.