HOW TO GROW HYDROPONIC MICROGREENS AT HOME

Microgreens are the new discovery on the block. The healthiest foods were once the sprouts. They still are very good. However, microgreens have been found to possess certain amino acids and micro nutrients which aren’t easily available anywhere else.

Potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, antioxidants etc, our microgreens have it all. They may even have upto 40 times greater nutrients than their mature plants.

So, how to grow them at home and very easily?

Hydroponics essentially means using water and not soil. The harvest is much denser and the microgreens grow healthier using hydroponics. Plus, it can be done inside the house also.

No complicated equipment is needed.

Take a small basket which has holes at the bottom. I took the one available at home. You can take a different one. Only the bottom should be straight so that the seeds can rest and grow. Another container in which the basket can be placed and which will contain the water is also needed. Please see picture below:-

The holes at the bottom of the basket/container must be adequate in size so that seeds do not fall and the roots can grow. This basket is generally available in every household as is this container.

STEP 1

Please take your seeds e.g oat, wheat, black chickpea, green whole gram (moong daal) etc. Soak the seeds in a cup for about 2-4 hours. The water should be non-filtered.

After around 2-4 hours place some tissue paper at the bottom of the basket. Wet it using a water spray. Now remove the soaked seeds and place them on the tissue paper in the basket as below

STEP 2

The little seeds are very small babies. They must be treated as such. With love and care. They need to be kept moist, not soaked. Hence, every few hours please spray water on them. The tissue paper soaks water and hence maintains required humidity for some hours.

STEP 3

In the lower container pour water (tap water, not filtered) until the point where the water just touches the basket( or a mm lower). This will maintain the humidity and also give direction to the roots to grow.

The water in the lower container must be changed everyday. The little plants need nutrients, water and oxygen from the water. Hence new water every day is essential. In commercial equipment they have aerators etc.

STEP 4

As the first of the sprouts are noticed, please continue spraying every few hours and changing water. Also begin to place the plants in the the Sun. They do need sunlight which their chlorophyll converts to food.

You’ll notice that in 3-5 days, small roots have begun to penetrate into the water. Once adequate roots begin to penetrate, there is no need for external water spray anymore.

Please see how thick the roots will grow eventually.

STEP 5

Now keep changing the water daily and keep on giving sunlight to the little ones. If you don’t have sunlight, then place them under a LED light (close). Normally sunlight for a few hours is enough. LED light may be needed for 6-8 hours.

Once the microgreens are above 3 inches, they can be harvested piecemeal. As much as you like. The microgreens are to be harvested generally between 9 to 15 days of seeding depending upon the weather. In winters it takes longer for growth. Beyond this time, the greens are not to be eaten.

Once the greens are harvested between 9 to 15 days, please throw the seeds and the plants. The regrowth is not to be eaten as it does not possess the same nutrients. Regrowth may be small in size, but it is actually a much older plant.

Healthy food leads to better meditation. In another post I will highlight the effect of foods on meditation and spiritual growth.

Health to all.