Go to the Article: Growing Microgreens
How much sun do these require? Can you grow them indoors near a sunny window?
Absolutely.
It is important that the soil is organic, like Lambert Brand. You don't want all the chemicals or (or urea) going into your sprout. I heard Lambert was at Home Depot but couldn't find it there. They do have a catalog. Or you can go to gotsprouts.com and get the trays and the soil from them.
My only windows are northern exposure (city/apartment dweller). Are there varieties that can get enough sun in a north-facing window? (Basil dies every time I try to grow it.)
I also would like more information on how to judge the quality of the soil. Or how to compose it. Do soil varieties have lists of ingredients? Can I just dig some of my yard up and try to fortify it somehow?
Then on temperature of environment. Is that average temperature between 77 and 86? Or is that constant temperature between 77 and 86?
That is totally dependent on what is in your lawn. If it is nice well cared for soil already, it will probably not need much fortification. You need a good mix of minerals, organic material, air and water. There is no one best mix, different plants like different mixes. For most of the plants we grow, I nice fine potting soil works great. Our outdoor garden has soil provided by a local farm. Here is a link with a little more information on determining soil quality http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil .
You may need to add supplemental light, depending how big the window is and how much light they are actually getting. Also how big are you trying to grow the basil? As plants get bigger they need more light to continue growing. Here are some links to different lighting options http://www.amazon.com/Hydroponic-Full-Spectrum-Light-5500K/dp/B005P29K1S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1409768924&sr=8-3&keywords=grow+lights http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-JSV2-2-Foot-Start-System/dp/B0006856EQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1409768924&sr=8-5&keywords=grow+lights http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-FLT24-4-Tube-Commercial-System/dp/B002JQBQZQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1409768924&sr=8-6&keywords=grow+lights I listed different sizes depending on space and how many plants you want to grow.
The constant average should be in that range. If the temperature deviates slightly from that area for short periods of time it shouldn't have detrimental effects. You don't want to have constant huge swings in temperature however.
The plants in the time lapse were grown in doors near west facing window.
I raise seedlings under a very simple shoplight setup, with one warm (yellow) fluorescent and one cool (blue). Raise and lower the height via chains. Super cheap, super easy. Replace the bulbs every couple of years. Ben's right that those lighting options work, but you can go DIY a lot cheaper.
Hi....i want to ask you something ..from where a can buy microgreens seed?
Check here https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/reading-and-shopping
Thanks Ben Johnson for your answers.
I am curios about one little thing . As soon as you cut your greens , can you use the same soil again ?
cause that will allow you to do some trial and error experiments for a specific microgreen, by adding different elements that might lack so you can end up with a better soil without being forced to buy new one
Go to gotsprouts.com and - YouTube. He tells you why you can't reuse the dirt.
gotsprouts.com
If you look at the youtube videos from gotsprouts, you can get more information about lighting. The person in the video says that if you can see yourself, you have enough light. Sprouts and microgreens depend on the nutrients in the seed which is self contained. They are not going to have to be making food. They need the light to get green but not to grow.
thank you so much !
Hi, may I ask you what humidity for growing micros indoor and temperature. I heart that more than 25 C itis to much and they are going to mold? Thank you!
I grow under led lights..;)
Mold or fungus loves cool wet weather. If you are growing indoors, trim up your micros so leaves are not touching the ground. Fungus is soil born. If you cut off "bad"leaves you must sanitize your scissors ( dip in a 10;:1 water:bleach solution) or you will spread the fungus and lose you crop in days You can set a very low speed fan to circulate air - it helps prevent mold and fungus.
Keep you temperatures above 55 at night or your micros will stress and can "bolt" when it warms up and grow to fast and taste bad.
Do not use moldy or fungus plant debri in your compost unless you are really getting it hot - it will be contaminated. You can burn it and use the ash later. 2 inches or wood or plant ash incorporated into the soil will shift your pH to at least 1 additional point toward alkaline. You want a normal to slightly alkaline pH for veggies.
enjoy
great setup
Actually most veggies prefer a neutral to slightly ACIDIC (not alkaline) soil pH (in the 6 - 7 range). At least according to everything I'e read (one source: http://www.almanac.com/content/ph-preferences)
Your General Guidelines link does not open?
Start a log: General guidelines for germination and harvesting aren’t hard to come by, but the performance of your plants will depend on conditions such as light, temperature, and growing medium. Keeping detailed notes as you run trials will help you become a more effective gardener.
