Grow Your Winter Greens
Updated: Dec 27, 2018
Growing Micro greens and wheat grass in your window is a great way to include living greens into your winter diet!
They are just so vibrant and full of life! Packed with nutrients and energy!!
Plus they look amazing - green and healthy - growing in your window, against the stark winter back drop.
use them in salads, as an impressive garnish for any dish, in sandwiches, wraps, poke them out of sushi or spring rolls, and so forth...
Juice your wheat grass for a boost of vitality, or to help with detoxification!
To get started...
(It's so easy!)
Go to a hydroponics or gardening store and buy 2 flat seed trays (without the compartments). One will be solid, and the other should have holes in the bottom and fit inside the solid tray. This will make 1 complete tray, if you want to rotate for a continuous supply of micro greens I recommend 2 complete trays.
You will need some good organic potting soil... (secret: stock up in the fall when it all goes on sale)
a spray bottle,
and some seeds.
Mumm's at http://sprouting.com/ is a great Canadian brand offering many different kinds of organic non-gmo seeds. You can often find a selection at your local health food store, or order online. They ship from Saskatchewan.
Some of my favorites are:
Broccoli, or Broccoli Brassica for a blend **You can also grow herb seeds into micro greens
Red Clover Basil and cilantro are exquisite for both flavor and beauty!
Beet
Daikon Radish
Green Pea
Sunflower
Kale
Wheat Berries (for growing wheat grass)
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You will need about 1/4 cup of seeds total to fill your tray . I often will do 2 kinds of seeds using about 2 Tbsp of each kind to fill half my tray. Soak the seeds you are using overnight in enough pure water to cover - just in a jar or bowl on your counter.
*Wheat grass is a bit of an exception. You will need 1/2 cup of seeds or "berries" to fill your tray, and I don't usually mix wheat grass with other kinds of seeds.seeds soaking
Here I have started Red Clover, Daikon Radish seeds and Wheat Berries. Red Clover and Daikon Radish growing! I
Put enough potting soil in your tray (directly in the one with the holes) to cover about 1 inch when smoothed evenly. Break up any larger clumps of dirt. This tray should be nested inside the solid tray.
Sprinkle your seeds over the dirt, spreading with your fingers to cover as evenly as possible. No need to push them in or cover them with soil.
Spray the entire surface with a spray bottle until fairly moist. You want to ensure the soil is damp all the way through, without creating any soggy areas.
Place in a sunny window, checking daily to make sure the soil is kept damp. Watch that water is not collecting in the solid tray underneath - if it is drain it out and just water a little less going forward.
After a few days (depending on seed type) you will see them begin to sprout. Then they will send up shoots, which will eventually show their first set of leaves, and a second,.... They usually require more frequent watering the bigger they get, and the heat in your home will evaporate it quickly. It usually takes about 10 days for them to reach ideal eating stage.
I cut them with scissors, taking care not to pull out bits of dirt with the stem.
They will re-grow a bit after you cut them but are usually more straggly. I compost the "root mat" that is left in the tray after you have used them all, wash out the tray and start another cycle.
Wheat grass
Will grow the same way but usually requires juicing or blending to break down their fibers - it really is like eating grass. The benefits of wheat grass are endless! Detoxifying, full of living enzymes - just Google the benefits of drinking wheat grass juice!
A "shot " of wheat grass at a juice bar can cost up to $6.00, and buying the grass, if you can find it is also very expensive compared to what it costs to grow yourself.
Note: You may be surprised at how much grass you juice to make a "shot" yourself. I usually get about 6 "shots" from each full tray.