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The information herein is meant for educational purposes only Please Note: The contents of this manual are intended to assist individuals in growing micro-greens This publication has not been endorsed or produced by any entity public or private. This manual may be freely re-printed and distributed so long as all of the copyrights of the original authors are respected.
6 | Vegetarian Voice
THE CONTAINER
1) Eat lots of small fruits: blueberries, cherry tomatoes, fresh gs, etc. Such small fruits (tomatoes botanically are fruits, not veggies) usually are packaged in plastic pint (half kilo) containers. Raspberries and blackberries come packaged by the half-pint, which are half the depth but equally useful. 2) Save the pint and half-pint plastic containers, rather than recycle or (gasp!) discard them. You likely eat mostly or only whole foods, so you soon will accumulate an abundance of plastic containers. The crucial features of these containers are the vents on their bottoms and the lids on their tops. If necessary, rinse and dry them, then stack and store them. Such plastic usually is recycle number 1 (PET or PETE), a polyethylene polymer predominantly used for water and beverage bottles, collectively called drink bottles. When heated or during prolonged storage, PET can migrate into its liquid contents. Hence the plastic taste of bottled water. At moderate room temperatures and for short durations, however, PET does not affect its solid contents. Hence blueberries and cherry tomatoes do not taste of plastic. Moist soil might be considered semi-liquid, in which case purists might wish to avoid use of plastic. While other containers with holes on their bottoms, for instance terracotta ower pots, are suitable, they obstruct your view of the wondrous rootlets, and they are heavy, bulky and costly. Plastic containers come to you for free and so are good for nothing. After multiple re-uses, the plastic does tend to fall apart, but you probably never will retain them that long. By attrition, youll be starting anew with a fresh batch of containers every three or four cycles. Thats because for every ve or six containers that you grow, you might bestow one or two as gifts upon eager recipients. 3) Cut off the lids of the plastic containers and save half of those lids. As its blades will become dull, an old pair of scissors should be designated for this function.
4) Place two containers together, one inside the other, to provide a rigid structure. This rigidity ensures the soil will not shift (meaning the fragile rootlets will anchor) and protects the rootlets from being crushed where they congregate at the container bottom.
mix. In time, you should experiment growing with all potting soil, with all seedling mix, with different layers or proportions of both, and with different sources of either. But for a start, seedling mix is recommended.
THE SEEDS
Any veggie that grows into sprouts in jars will continue to grow into microgreens on soil. Beans, however, as microgreens generally turn bitter. Grains as microgreens grow equally well on open trays of soil. So here we shall con ne our discussion to the botanical classi cation strictly named seeds. 1) Purchase seeds in small quantities, enough to last you only one year. For current listings of mail order sources of seeds, see the Resources section at the end of this article. More varieties of organically grown seeds are available now than compared to just a few years ago, so organic is certainly preferred. 2) Choose seed varieties wisely. If you grow broccoli, you dont need to grow any of the other family of Brassicas, such as cauli ower or kale or cabbage, because as microgreens, they are so similar. For guidance on what varieties grow easiest and taste best, visit Farming Turtles Web page (see Resources). Farming Turtles sells microgreens, not seeds, so offers and depicts only what its customers like best. For reasons unknown, broccoli is noticeably absent from its Web page. Among the Brassicas, broccoli grows quickly, tastes mildest, and its seeds are the most widely available. Thus broccoli is recommended for beginners. The one Brassica that stands out from the others is radish, and that, too, is easy to grow. Among seeds other than Brassicas that are good for beginners are beet, cress, lettuce and basil. Without dispute, basil tastes best. 3) Store remaining seeds in glass jars, and in darkness. If you can spare the room in your fridge, refrigerate them, especially during the hot summer months.
Microgreens continued page 8 }
Vegetarian Voice |
THE SOIL
1) Procure fertile soil. Either potting soil or seedling mix will provide ample nourishment for microgreens. Potting soil works well, but seedling mix may produce the same results in slightly less time. Adding boosts, such as liquid kelp, mineral dust or backyard compost, is optional. If you add compost from outdoors, be certain it is fully decomposed. Even so, you might introduce into your kitchen many tiny crawling critters that can dwell in it. Such risk is avoided with the use of commercial potting soil or seedling mix. The more fertile the soil, the shorter the growing time. More importantly, well-nourished greens may better nourish you too. If you intend to purchase soil by the bale, be aware that seedling mixes are sold in such quantity only during the spring growing season, so plan accordingly.
2) Prepare your soil. Remove any undesirable brous objects (UFOs), such as leaves or twigs. Before placing the soil into the pint or half-pint containers, place it into a bucket and stir water into the soil, fully moistening it. 3) Fill the doubled-up containers with moistened soil, right up to the brim. You might consider lling the bottom half of the containers with potting soil, and the top half with seedling
4) Lay the seeds upon the soil evenly and sparsely, allowing ample breathing room between seeds. Some can touch each other, but none should lay one atop another, which only wastes seeds. Press them rmly into the soil, but do not cover them with soil, otherwise a week later the succulent leaves may be encrusted with dry earth. The smaller the seed, the greater the quantity of seeds that fit into a given volume, so the smaller the measurement of seeds needed to cover the area of the pint container. A general rule for seeds the size of broccoli is 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of seeds per pint (half kilo) container.
you resort to chlorinated water, your microgreens will thrive. 1) Spray the seeds with water. The spray atop the seeds adds to the moisture they soak up from the soil beneath them. A ne mister is best, but any spray bottle or spray nozzle will do. A recycled spray container from a non-toxic household cleaner works ne, if fully rinsed of residue. Taste the spray, to know for sure. Between crops, dismantle the spray container and allow it to dry out, else mold or bacteria can grow inside. 2) Cover the container with its snap-on lid. To retain moisture, cut a piece of undyed cotton cloth to t into the container atop the seeds. For your first several crops, you likely will want to view the miracle of germination unfolding, so dispense with the cloth. 3) At least once a day, lift the lid and spray. If youre not using a top cloth, youll need to lift the lid and spray at least twice daily. Be aware that the holes in the lid provide ventilation.
Ventilation assures against mold, but also allows evaporation. If the seeds look dry, then they are dry, so spray away. 4) Remove the lid altogether, when the sprouts reach the height of the lid. In warm temperatures, broccoli hits the ceiling upon the second day, while slower grower basil will do so on the third or fourth day. Your mileage will vary. 5) Daily water by placing the container into a pool of water. Fill a basin or bowl with water approximately to half the height of the pint container. Keep the bowl in your kitchen sink, and place the container of microgreens into the bowl. Allow it to sit there for half a minute to a minute, until the soil has become thoroughly moistened. Remove the container, set it at a slight angle inside the sink, and allow it to drain for a minute or more. Replenish the water in the bowl as needed, usually after every second container. Watering a tray of six containers as pictured in the photos takes ve minutes, in between
THE WATER
Avoid using chlorinated tap water. But if you lack other sources, then allow the tap water to stand in an open container for 24 hours, during which time the chlorine will evaporate. Chlorines volatility accounts for the strong chlorine smell in the enclosures around indoor swimming pools. Alternatively, certain water lters work well. But even if
BASIL MICROGREENS
The microgreens depicted here were grown under ideal conditions: Soil fertile potting soil on bottom half, soft seedling soil on top half. Seeds highly viable organic seeds from a crop harvested the previous year. Water moistened only with good-tasting well water (Planet Earth milk!). Sunlight a half day of direct sunlight through window screen rather than glass. Warmth long daylight hours and the warmth of mid-summer. Air fresh air oxygenated by the forest and meadow of a nature preserve. Basil depicted reached peak in seven days. But your own mileage will vary and, during cold short days of winter, can more than double.
8 | Vegetarian Voice
which you can tend to other matters in the kitchen. Herein rests the asset of the vent holes in the bottom of the plastic container. And here, too, is the advantage of this method over the use of messy and cumbersome cafeteria trays. For many years, I grew broccoli and an array of other microgreens on soil on cafeteria trays, so I speak from experience. The tray method is perfect for watering from above such microgreens as wheatgrass and sun ower greens, but none others. (Incidentally, buckwheat greens, also called buckwheat lettuce, are un t for human consumption (see Resources). Because the microgreens are so densely packed, when watered from above their stems can trap water, which can cause the stems to rot. Watered from below, the stems will not trap water and will not rot. You can add liquid kelp or other nutritional boosts to the bowl of water. If you so choose, do this on the rst day of such soaking. Once youve completed a daily cycle of soaking, some soil will remain behind in the bowl of water, especially for the first few days before rootlets have entwined themselves into the soil. Such accumulations of soil after many cycles of watering risk clogging the drain of your sink, so toss the remaining water outdoors, or lter it before pouring it down the drain.
reach for the sun. Leaves generally taste sweet, but stems usually taste tart. Thus the goal is to grow leaves, not stems. If to follow the sunlight you must move your microgreens from window to window, then try your best to do so. And provide them also with the darkness of night. Warmth is critical. During the cold days and short daylight hours of winter, some greens such as broccoli that take ve days to grow in summer can require two weeks to grow in winter. Some, basil for instance, will not grow at all. You can encourage basil to germinate by using a seedling heating mat or a heated cabinet, but once off the mat or out of the cabinet basil will dig in its heels and refuse to budge an inch. Air is something we all take for granted. Be assured that even if you cannot provide your greens with the fresh air that they need, nevertheless they will oxygenate and clean the air that you deserve.
so that you will have no need to rinse them. If you must refrigerate them, do not rinse them, and do protect them in a hard container, not a bag. But do not refrigerate basil, which under cool temperatures turns to mush. Ideally, you will eat your microgreens immediately upon harvest, and you will appreciate them just as they are unadorned by sauces or seasonings. No recipes are needed. Despite potential obstacles, your labors surely will reap the reward of an abundance of excellence. You do not need a green thumb to achieve fruition. Even a pink pinky will sufce. But you do need patience and persistence. Tending to your microgreens will be a joy, not a chore. Grow them knowing that you are being good to them, and thank them knowing that they will be good for you.
Resources:
Farming Turtles guidance on what varieties grow easiest and taste best: www.farmingturtles.com/pages/ ourproducts.htm For current listings of mail order sources of seeds, print out or download a seven-page PDF of Sources for Seeds at: www.markbraunstein.org/growmicrogreens.htm Are Buckwheat Greens Toxic? by Gilles Arbour, posted as a PDF at: www.markbraunstein.org/growmicrogreens.htm You can download a free PDF of this article at: http://www.markbraunstein.org/ growmicrogreens.htm.
THE HARVEST
You can taste test and harvest your crop any day along the way, but best to do so before the second set of leaves emerges at the top. Cress grows as a cluster of leaves, but on most varieties the second set is a pair of leaves, just like the rst pair. The rst set is called the cotyledons; the second set the true leaves. If you delay your harvest until after the second set has grown, your crop will be larger and taller, but may also turn tart and brous. As with great works of art, the artist must know not only how to begin, but also when to stop. Delegate a pair of sharp scissors to use solely for harvesting. Gather a handful of microgreens, and snip at the base of their stems. Be careful not to lift any soil along with greens,
Vegetarian Voice |
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
page 1
[ CopyFright? NOT! ] Permission granted for your free reproduction and distribution with this attribution: www.markbraunstein.org/booksproutgarden.htm
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
page 2
While even the finest books on sprouting go out-of-print, still more transitory are the companies that specialize in sprout and microgreen seeds and supplies. For every printing of Sprout Garden and of Microgreen Garden, this Sources chapter is researched and updated, else the listings quickly go stale and obsolete. You need not to invest in the latest editions just for the Sources chapter, because here it is. And same here as in previous printings, companies that stock other books on growing sprouts or microgreens but not Sprout Garden or Microgreen Garden are still listed here. May your future be filled with sprouts and bountiful with microgreens!
This is the expanded and updated and clickable SOURCES chapter of the current 6th printing of SPROUT GARDEN and the Resources link of MICROGREEN GARDEN
Updated for 2013 & posted at:
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
page 3
While I have not ordered from all the garden seed suppliers listed below, if I did order from companies that did not list harvest dates or cultivar names in their catalogs or on their seed packets I banished them from this list. Worse, one of them designated its dozen or more cultivars of some single species as all of them ideal for microgreens, when in fact only a few of their cultivars were, so that fraudulent company too is banished from this list.
Johnnys Selected Seeds 955 Benton Av, Winslow, ME 04901 (877) 564-6697, (207) 861-3902 www.johnnyseeds.com
Seeds for sprouts and for microgreens, many organic, all in bulk quantities. In its other vegetable categories, unless noted with a T (for Treated) in the order number, rest assured that all its seeds are untreated, but still you should specify that you want only untreated seeds. Seeds (54 total !!!) for microgreens at; www.johnnyseeds.com/c-48-micro-mix.aspx Seeds for sprouts (13 total) at: www.johnnyseeds.com/c-245-sprouts.aspx Seeds for shoots at: www.johnnyseeds.com/c-281-shoots.aspx
Mountain Valley Seed Company 455 West 1700 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84115 (801) 486-0480 www.mvseeds.com
Seeds for sprouts and for microgreens, many organic, all in bulk quantities. Seeds (48 total !!!) for microgreens at: http://mvseeds.com/store/categories/Microgreens Seeds for sprouts (24 total !!! & 4 blends) at: http://www.mvseeds.com/store/categories/Sprouting-Seeds Seeds packaged for long-term storage: www.mvseeds.com/store/products/Canned-Garden-Seeds.html An excellent guide to microgreens by degree of ease at: www.mvseeds.com/microgreens.html Sprouters (five!) at: http://mvseeds.com/store/categories/Merchandise/?sort=featured&page=3 Books (five!) on growing microgreens and sprouting, including my SPROUT GARDEN, with a detailed book summary, at: http://mvseeds.com/store/categories/Books-%26-Media/
High Mowing Organic Seeds 76 Quarry Rd, Wolcott, VT 05680 (802) 472-6174 www.highmowingseeds.com
ALL ORGANIC (so all untreated) seeds, a variety nearly as great as Johnnys (above), but here (repeat!) ALL ORGANIC. Categories include sprouts, shoots, microgreens and specialty greens, plus the usual veggies, all in bulk quantities. Request or download its catalog. Seeds for microgreens at: www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-micro-greens.html Seeds for sprouts & shoots at: www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-sprouts-and-shoots.html
Pinetree Garden Seeds POB 300, New Gloucester, ME 04260 (207) 926-3400 https://www.superseeds.com
17 seeds and 5 seed mixes for sprouts, the largest selection for sprouts of any gardening seed company. Seeds for sprouts at: https://www.superseeds.com/products.php?cat=141 Sprouters at: https://www.superseeds.com/products.php?cat=5 Books on sprouting and growing microgreens, including my book SPROUT GARDEN at: https://www.superseeds.com/products.php?cat=34
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
4930A Elliott St, Ladner, BC, CANADA, V4K 2Y1 (888) 804-8820 www.westcoastseeds.com
page 4
An excellent resource for our Canadian friends. 11 seeds for sprouts, 7 organic beans, 4 mixtures, Also sprouters, automatic sprouters, seed starter supplies, including seedling trays and heating mats. Seeds for sprouts at: www.westcoastseeds.com/product/Vegetable-Seeds/Sprouting-Seeds Sprouters (five!) at: www.westcoastseeds.com/product/Gardening-Supplies/Sprouters/ Microgreens supplies & kits at: www.westcoastseeds.com/product/Gardening-Supplies/Seed-Starting-/ Books on saving seeds and sprouting seeds, including my book SPROUT GARDEN at: http://www.westcoastseeds.com/product/Gardening-Books/Seeds-and-Seed-Saving/
Grow Organic (Peaceful Valley Farm Supply) POB 2209, Grass Valley, CA 95945 (888) 784-1722 www.groworganic.com
Mostly organic seeds, sprouting seeds (from Mumms of Canada), bulk seeds, and gardening supplies. The photos are good, while the beautiful illustrations are outstanding, plus they are zoom-able. Bulk organic seeds at: http://www.groworganic.com/seeds/bulk-seeds/bulk-organic-seeds.html Seeds for sprouts at: http://www.groworganic.com/seeds/sprouting-seeds/organic-sprouting-seeds.html Cold frames and grow lights at: http://www.groworganic.com/growing-supplies.html
Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS from SPROUT SEEDS SUPPLIERS Sproutpeople
All commerce is conducted through to its website.
www.sproutpeople.org
The most comprehensive book on sprouting is not a book. It is a website, sproutpeople.org. Edifying and extensive (at times TOO extensive!), its website also offers videos and several hundreds (100s!) of web pages of information on all aspects of sprouting beyond simply HOW TO, free to everyone. Plus they sell everything you might need for sprouting except for the kitchen sink and except for books, so the reason I list Sproutpeople here first is not because they sell my own books. Among their oodles & oodles of all OG seeds, seeds for microgreens are indexed at: http://sproutpeople.org/seeds/microgreens.html
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
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The primary source of info on the web about HOW TO sprout, presented in a well organized and easily navigable interface. Plus two extensive seed lists, one for Canada, and one for USA. Also books (including my own Sprout Garden), automatic sprouters, sprouting bags, jars and containers. A supplier to other commercial sprouting companies and garden seed companies, Mumms welcomes orders from home sprouting folks. Seeds for USA for sprouting at: http://usastore.sprouting.com/sprouting-seed.html Seeds for USA for microgreens at: http://usastore.sprouting.com/sprouting-seed/microgreens.html
Sprout House
138 Elm St, Saugerties, NY 12477 (800) SPROUTS, (845) 246-6875 www.SproutHouse.com
Seeds, wheatgrass juicers, automatic sprouters, sprouting bags and containers, jar lids and screens, trays, non-soil STG pads for growing microgreens, the works! Many seeds and trays suitable for microgreens are available but not indexed. Though it does not sell books, it offers an extensive review of Sprout Garden at:
http://welcometosprouting.com/sprout-garden-indoor-growers-guide-to-gourmet-sprouts-by-mark-braunstein-review/ Sampler pack of microgreen seeds at: www.sprouthouse.com/A_Dozen_Sprouting_Seeds_p/dozenmicrogreens.htm
Handy Pantry
64 W. 600 North #2, Springville, UT 84633 (866) 948-4727, (800) 735-0630 www.handypantry.com
Seeds, automatic sprouters, sprouting jars, jar lids and screens, and containers, including one called Sprout Garden (with no connection to the book whose title preceded the container by ten years). The Sprout Garden sprouting device is based upon the ventilation principles of Sproutamos Easy Sprout, but unlike Easy Sprout is a tray sprouter, so ideal for greening potentially leafy sprouts such as clover. Seeds suitable for microgreens are available but not indexed separately. Ignore all its imaginary sale prices, which are simply regular prices, and which are insulting to their customers intelligence.
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
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Natural Zing
POB 749, Mount Airy, MD 21771 (888) RAW-ZING, (301) 703-4116 www.naturalzing.com
Sprout seeds & needs at: www.naturalzing.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_110 More seeds at: www.naturalzing.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_31 Sprout books, including SPROUT GARDEN, at: www.naturalzing.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=43_76
Shiloh Farms
191 Commerce Dr, New Holland, PA 17557 (800) 362-6832 www.shilohfarms.com
Seeds at: www.shilohfarms.com/categories/Seeds Beans at: www.shilohfarms.com/categories/Legumes Grains at: www.shilohfarms.com/categories/Grains Sprouted flours & sprouted prepared foods at: http://www.shilohfarms.com/categories/Sprouted
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
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The remaining brief listings of references to websites are no less important than the above listings with lengthy annotations. These entries simply are shorter. For further sources of information, search the web with the word sprouting (not sprouts) or the phrase how to grow microgreens
PUBLISHERS
Sprouting Publications SproutLetter archive and a laminated Sprout-at-a-Glance Chart (printed
in my book Sprout Garden, a free PDF download at: www.markbraunstein.org/booksproutgarden.htm ) POB 62, Ashland, OR 97520 & emailML@mac.com
Survival in the 21st Century the 1975 classic by sprout scout Viktoras Kulvinskas, who
inspired an entire generation of Boy Sprouts and Girl Sprouts www.survivalinthe21stcentury.com
Sproutman sprouters, articles and books by Sproutman Steve Meyerowitz, who has devoted his life
to espousing sprouts www.sproutman.com
publishes free e-newsletter Good Sprout News, information for professional growers & the rest of us dreamers www.isga-sprouts.org
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
page 8
HEALTH CENTERS
Hippocrates Health Institute sprouting haven in FL
& CA & books by Brian Clement & sprouting supplies & publisher of the magazine Healing Our World www.hippocratesinst.org
Tree of Life Center sprouting haven in AZ & books by Gabriel Cousens www.treeoflife.nu Ann Wigmore Natural Health Institute sprouting haven in PR www.annwigmore.org
Related EQUIPMENT
for manual & automatic SPROUTING devices Urban Homemaker offers 12 varieties
www.urbanhomemaker.com/productcart/pc/Sprouters-and-Sprout-Mixes-c402.htm
for COLD FRAME assembly kits Greenhouse Megastore is the least expensive source:
www.greenhousemegastore.com/category/hobby-greenhouses
for Cafeteria (Fast Food ) TRAYS Tiger Chef offers a wide variety with quantity discounts
and speedy shipping, of which the most durable (and most expensive) are made of fiberglass:
http://www.tigerchef.com/search/-fast-food-trays/
for CANNING JARS for Sprouting Canning Pantry, if you cannot find jars locally:
http://www.canningpantry.com/canning-jars.html
[ CopyFright? NOT! ] Permission granted for your free reproduction & distribution with this attribution: www.MarkBraunstein.ORG
This is the expanded and updated and clickable SOURCES chapter of the current 6th printing of SPROUT GARDEN and the Resources link of MICROGREEN GARDEN
Updated for 2013 & posted at:
SOURCES for Sprout & Microgreen SEEDS & NEEDS by Mark Mathew Braunstein
page 9
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AMARANTH - Red Garnet 7 days after planting too many specular highlights for me to fix, sorry!
KALE - Red Russian 7 1/2 days since planting red is found in the stems
LETTUCE - Red Romaine near true leaf stage / 18 days since sown / top view
LETTUCE - Red Romaine near true leaf stage / 18 days since sown / side view
MUSTARD - Purple Osaka true leaf stage / 18 days since sown / top view
RADISH - Daikon
Turnip 6 days since planting turnip is the fastest growing of all the Brassicas