16 hours ago
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January can hardly be considered an abundant time of year. All but the evergreens are barren and bare. Yet there is an approach to year-round growing that, in the depths of winter, feels all the more miraculous. Microgreens are not a “type” of plant, but a method of growing leafy crops which doesn’t require much space or effort – and, importantly for now, can be done indoors – in order to achieve an unseasonably fresh burst of flavour on your dinner plate.
Any plant that is edible from top-to-toe can be grown as a microgreen. From salad leaves like lettuce and sorrel to herbs such as basil, dill, coriander and fennel, plus all the brassicas from the very delicious mustard greens and rocket to the far less spicy broccoli and kale. Also on the fuller side of the flavour profile are nasturtiums and sunflowers, which produce juicy shoots with a nutty flavour. Peas also produce a substantial shoot with pretty leaves and tendrils. Amaranth, carrot and perilla are other edible plants I am eager to try.
Microgreens are grown in containers, sown densely and harvested when young. As the intention is to eat the crop well before it needs space to reach its full size, lots of plants can be raised in modestly sized trays. In fact, recycled punnets work well. Add compost until your seed tray or punnet is two thirds full (although I’d be tempted to go a bit deeper for crops with larger seeds such as peas or sunflowers) and tamp down to create a firm but not compacted bed. Spread a generous single layer of seeds on to the compost and cover with a fine layer of compost no deeper than the size of the seed itself. In the case of tiny seeds such as amaranth this will only be a smattering. Water well using a can with a fine rose so you don’t disrupt all your careful work. Alternatively, you can cover your seeds with a wet piece of kitchen towel and they’ll germinate under there.
Then place your trays somewhere bright – like a windowsill – and wait a couple of weeks while the seeds germinate and start to grow. As you’re not expecting these crops to reach maturity, low light levels aren’t much of an issue; even a leggy microgreen is worth eating. You can use grow lights if you have them.
Harvest your microgreens with a very sharp pair of snips to avoid snagging and dragging these tiny plants and risking an addition of compost to your winter salad or sandwich. Most of the plants I’ve suggested above will provide a single harvest, but peas and nasturtiums should produce an extra flush or two if you allow them to continue to grow, then selectively pick the tips and leaves instead of cutting them off at the base.
