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Microgreens

Microgreens. Jon Traunfeld , Extension Specialist jont@umd.edu. Photo credit: UFL IFAS. Vegetables harvested at an immature growth stage: Sprouts: germinated seeds with emerging root Microgreens: 2-3 inches in height; 7-21 days (harvest stem, cotyledons, and emerging true leaves)

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Microgreens

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  1. Microgreens Jon Traunfeld, Extension Specialist jont@umd.edu

  2. Photo credit: UFL IFAS

  3. Vegetables harvested at an immature growth stage: Sprouts: germinated seeds with emerging root Microgreens: 2-3 inches in height; 7-21 days (harvest stem, cotyledons, and emerging true leaves) Baby greens: 4-6 inches in height; 21-40 days Mature greens: >6 inches in height; 40-60 days

  4. Why eat microgreens? • Vivid colors • Tender texture • Intense flavor • Nutritious • Versatile • Why grow microgreens? • Fun & easy to grow • Harvest in 10-14 days • Grow year-round • $1/oz. in Whole Foods

  5. Pea shoots and other microgreens growing in restaurant dining area

  6. Commercial production at Great Kids Farm in Catonsville

  7. http://agnr.umd.edu/news/mighty-microgreens

  8. Nutrients assessment • Objective:to analyze the concentration of vitamins and carotenoids in 25 commercially available microgreens. • Nutrients analyzed: 1) Ascorbic Acid (Vc) 2) Phylloquinone (VK1) 3) Tocopherols (VE) 4) Carotenoids (Provitamin A: β-Carotene, Lutein/zeaxanthin, Violaxanthin.)

  9. Top 5 microgreens rich in carotenoids (provitamin A) • No. 1 Cilantro • No. 2 Red sorrel • No. 3 Garnet amaranth • No. 4 Red cabbage • No. 5 Pea tendril

  10. Simple steps to microgreens • Fill a shallow container with 1-1.5 in. of moist soilless growing media • Sow seeds thickly and evenly • Water from bottom • Harvest with scissors when 2-3 in. tall • ENJOY!

  11. Try a variety of crops, containers, and locations

  12. What can I grow? • Fast and easy: arugula, kale, radish, broccoli, mustard, broccoli raab, bok choy, komatsuna and other Asian greens, cress, lettuces (fragile) • More challenging: amaranth, beet, Swiss chard, cilantro, basil, pea and sunflower shoots • Questionable:spinach (hulls), cabbage (odor?)

  13. Crops in same tray should have similar germination rates!

  14. Commercial flats (trays) for growing larger quantities of microgreens

  15. Repurposed shallow food container (lid becomes saucer)

  16. 1 ½-in. depth of growing media Tray-in-tray or container-in-container for bottom watering

  17. Salad tables can be used for for outdoor microgreen production

  18. 5 quarts of growing media/tray ($1.50 - $4.00) Re-use mix after roots dry out (add to fresh mix)

  19. Recommended plant spacing: 3/16 in. to 1/4-in. • Difficult to sow seeds evenly (no thinning necessary) • 20-row seeding flat contains around 1,000 plants

  20. Invasion of the “white fuzzies”

  21. Indoor growing: need light and heat • Window light may be insufficient • Lettuce, arugula, mustards, Asian greens will grow ok in low light • T-8 fluorescent lights can supplement or replace sunlight (keep tubes < 2 in. from plants)

  22. 20-row seeding flat produced larger plants and root systems than plain flat

  23. Cut at “soil line” when greens are 2-3-in. tall • No re-growth • Refrigerate for up to 10 days

  24. Resources • http://www.growingmicrogreens.com/- commercial site for microgreen supplies • http://agnr.umd.edu/news/mighty-microgreens-UMD AGNR research project • http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09373.html- Health Benefits and Safe handling of Salad Greens Books: • Microgreen Garden- Mark Braunstein • Microgreens- Fiona Hill • Microgreens- Eric Franks & Jasmine Richardson

  25. Resources extension.umd.edu/hgic extension.umd.edu/learn/ask-gardening marylandgrows.umd.edu extension.umd.edu/mg • Take a food gardening class • Find local community gardens • Learn about youth/school gardens extension.umd.edu/growit

  26. This program was brought to you by University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Program _______________________ County

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