Growing microgreens on a windowsill
How to grow microgreens at home on a windowsill or sunny table
You need:
some seeds (cress, mustard and basil are great)
a tray or an empty tub, such as a margarine tub
kitchen paper
a cup of water
You may have grown cress as a child and seen how easy it is to grow. Microgreens are basically just like cress - they contain a good amount of nutrients! Microgreens are basically sprouted seeds and are a good way of getting extra greens into your diet. This is gardening at the most micro level but it still ensures fresh and cheaply produced homegrown sprouts for your health and well-being.
The seeds cost very little to buy and the packet lasts quite a while, but you can get reduced things in the sale at the end of the summer. This is when I usually stock up on cress, mustard, basil and other herbs. You can sprout the seeds through the winter - I do so on my south-facing windowsill. Here is how to do it:
Take your piece of kitchen paper place it into the tray and pour a small amount of water on top of the kitchen paper.
Then sprinkle the seeds evenly and finally across the kitchen paper. You may wish to grow different types to get a variety.
Ensure that they are very evenly spread so that they have plenty of space.
Place the tray on your sunny windowsill.
Keep watering every day. At first, it may be easier to spray them with water, instead of pouring water on, as this can redistribute the seeds.
For the first three days, you may need to water twice per day to ensure the kitchen paper stays wet and provides a stable environment for the seeds to sprout.
Within seven days, the seeds should be sprouting and you can pick them over the course of the next week or so. However, if you want a continuous supply, it is a good idea to have two trays. As soon as your first lot of microgreens is ready to be harvested, just sow another group of seeds. This ensures that when you have finished the first lot, you can have a ready batch to harvest. Then, wash out the first tray and begin again while still having access to tasty microgreens!
Once harvested, you can top a jacket potato with some microgreens, add it to a salad, put it on your cheese on toast as a garnish, or on top of a pasta or rice dish.
They are yummy!
