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Microgreens are great. But a word of caution

Microgreens are great, they are extremely nutritious, taste absolutely awesome and my wife has been growing microgreens for several years with a high level of success.

However, my wife, who is the RHA trained gardener in our family, (I merely have a BA (Hons) in Creative and Professional Writing!)  has asked me to point out that not all seeds are suitable for microgreen cultivation and production.

For example, you should not even attempt to microgreen cultivate plants that are in the nightshade family of plants.

This means you should not microgreen cultivate the following plants: tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplant, potatoes and peppers.

Pretty much all other plants that are edible for humans should be safe to microgreen cultivate, but if there is any doubt in your mind, do err on the side of caution and ask an expert. 

Or read a book on microgreen cultivation? There are now an ever widening range of books available on microgreen cultivation which you should be able to find at good garden centres with a gardening book section, major and independent book sellers and also online book shops such as Amazon, etc.

(Image courtesy of Markus Spiske and Pixabay)

Broccoli and kale microgreens pack a nutritional punch that varies with growing conditions

Although microgreens were initially intended as gourmet ingredients for high end restaurants, they’ve become popular among gardeners and home cooks. 

Despite their “superfood” label, the levels of healthful compounds, such as phytonutrients, in most varieties of microgreens are generally, not known. 

However, researchers in ACS Food Science & Technology now report kale and broccoli microgreens grown in either windowsills or under commercial growing conditions are rich in phytonutrients, though the levels of some compounds varied considerably between the two environments.

As indoor gardening has taken off in recent years, microgreens have added a pop of color to the windowsills of many homes. The most commonly planted varieties of these small seedlings are from the Brassica family, which includes broccoli, kale, cabbage and mustard. The mature, fully-grown versions of these vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and environmental conditions can impact the plants’ nutritional contents. 

But not much is known about the levels of these compounds in young microgreens. In a previous study, Thomas Wang, Pei Chen and colleagues observed that red cabbage microgreens had higher amounts of phytonutrients that have been reported to have antioxidant and anticancer properties, including polyphenols and glucosinolates, than the full-grown vegetables. However, similar assessments haven’t been done on other Brassica seedlings. 

So, the researchers wanted to measure the levels of polyphenols and glucosinolates in broccoli and kale microgreens, and then compare data from those grown on windowsills to those raised in commercial growth chambers.

The researchers placed trays of newly planted broccoli and kale seeds either on a windowsill in natural sunlight or inside a temperature- and humidity-controlled refrigerator-like growth chamber with artificial sunlight for 12 hours a day. Ten full days after seeding, the team harvested the plants and assessed the phytonutrient content with a liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry system. 

The broccoli and kale microgreens were rich in polyphenols and glucosinolates, no matter how they were grown. But there was considerable variability in the amounts of individual compounds when comparing the two growth environments. For instance, three flavanol compounds that contribute to the plant’s dark color and bitter taste were higher in windowsill-grown microgreens. However, chamber-grown plants had higher levels of two glucosinolates, which are antioxidant- and anticancer-related compounds. 

Overall, the growth environment for kale and broccoli microgreens affects the abundance of individual phytonutrients, the researchers say, which could affect their flavor and potential health benefits.

The authors acknowledge funding from U.S. appropriated funds to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China and the State Scholarship Fund of China Scholarship Council.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organisation chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. https://pubs.acs.org/journal/afsthl

(Image courtesy of congerdesign and Pixabay)

Johnsons adds cress and mustard to their Microgreens Range for 2023

The always popular Microgreens range from Johnsons Seeds has two new additions for you to grow next season: Cress and Mustard. Both have a reasonably priced RRP of just £2.65, they offer a traditional taste, which is ideal for salads and sandwiches. 

The Microgreens seed collection now consists of a whopping 18 varieties, ranging from established herbs and vegetables varieties such as Coriander and Beetroot, to somewhat more unusual choices like Mizuna and Spinach Komatsuna. All of which can be grown for baby ‘micro’ leaves, all year round on a kitchen windowsill. (My wife grows our microgreens in our conservatory. And in the kitchen, too.

Whether it’s putting a touch of colour to a sandwich, adding an extra ‘flavour punch’ to your main meals, anyone can grow these nutritious baby leaves, whatever size of garden space you have. Or even if you have no garden space at all, as they'll be ideal for growing in the kitchen or living room of a flat or an apartment. Some varieties are ready to harvest in as little as a couple of weeks. So making it absolutely perfect for those gardeners who want or need a quick and relatively easy way to add some goodness to their diet. Ideal for vegans and vegetarians, too? Student accommodation would make for a good location for growing microgreens to help students ensure they have a good varied diet.

Helen Clayton, who is the Brand Manager for Johnsons said: “Our range of seeds for microgreens continues to be a big hit with customers and consumers."

She went on to say: "Even after the exceptional growth we saw during the pandemic, sales of our Microgreens range have continued to increase this season, by over 20% compared to 2021. 

"For those of us who enjoyed growing from seed for the first time during the lockdown and who perhaps don’t have the time or garden space to spend growing vegetables in the conventional way, microgreens have proved to make an excellent alternative choice.”

Also available as part of the range is the Microgreens Growing Kit (RRP £4.99) which is an eminently reusable and high quality growing tray which helps start you off on your Microgreens journey by helpfully including packets of Basil, Coriander and Rocket microgreens seeds. 

Once ready, the Johnsons compact Micro Snips (RRP £3.99), with spring action handles, are an easy way to harvest your crops. 

The Microgreens Kitchen Seed Sprouter has an RRP £11.99 and is a convenient and economical way to produce continuous crops of fresh seed sprouts such as alfalfa and mung beans, as well as the baby leaves of microgreens.

To learn more please visit http://johnsons-trade.com/

That's Food and Drink feels that using Microgreens will be an ideal way to enhance your Christmas meals. Imagine including, for example, Mizuna and Spinach Komatsuna microgreens with your Christmas dinner vegetables? 

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