If you’ve been trying for months to avoid microgreens falling over, or wilting in your garden, you might have tried some tricks to keep them growing. You might even have tried container gardening and the resulting fun and blooms. Then you learned about microgreens, the new green superfoods from New Zealand. Now, instead of just avoiding them, you want to eat them, grow them, harvest them and enjoy them. There are seven reasons why microgreens will fall over, and hopefully, a solution is already known for them: Too much water, too much sun, too many weeds, not enough drainage, or poor soil health.
The first challenge faced by people who are just starting to grow microgreens is getting them off the ground. One of the easiest ways is with a trellis. When your seed tray is hanging in the air, it is harder for weeds to get in. You can use stakes, but make sure they are wide enough that there is no space for the roots to squeeze out. If you are growing microgreens indoors, you can use a lightweight plastic netting and a clear plastic tray to give your seeds plenty of air flow.
Once your seeds are ready to be planted, you need to check your soil health. This means using a garden fertilizer with a high natural weed-control level and a sufficient seeding density, if it’s dry, to create holes with good drainage before planting your microgreens. Don’t forget to include good drainage holes underneath your pots.
Another challenge faced by those just getting started growing microgreens is leggy green mold. It is very important to make sure that your growing area is as mold-free as possible. To kill mold, make sure you have an exhaust fan turned on constantly. Buy a HEPA filter for your vacuum cleaner. Also buy an air conditioner with a HEPA filter and turn it on and use it to set the ventilation to high.
Some microgreens will also have to deal with an unexpected blackout time germination event. Because these plants don’t like direct light, you may need to move your growing trays to another room or turn your lights down low. You should consider putting a black garbage bag over the plant as this will keep sunlight from reaching the leaves. This doesn’t solve the problem of leaves that have gone brown, but it will stop leaf discoloration from occurring.
When shopping for a growing microgreen tray, make sure you get one with a good seeding density. A seeding density is how much of a head your microgreen grows in. The higher the density, the larger the plant will grow. Densities lower than two are great for plants that don’t do well in dense conditions, but try to avoid going below one hundred at all costs if you are going to be planting in soil.
Many microgreens sold today also come with a planter kit. This is a good idea if you are a beginner gardener, especially if you are trying to save money. Most kits include all the seeds you’ll need for your plants and instructions for plant propagation and seeding. The disadvantage to this type of kit is that it’s often not enough for bigger species, especially because microgreens can sometimes be quite large.
The biggest threat to growing your own plants is probably insects. Mites, aphids, borers, spider mites, and whiteflies can all attack and kill your plants, making them not only unattractive but unhealthy as well. These pests love to feed on plants with leaves and stems, so make sure to remove any dead or dying leaves on your plants as well as the ones that are feeding on them. Also, inspect your plants for visible signs of fungus and mold. Many common fungus growing on plants can be remedied with a simple dose of bleach.