Sow now - Microgreens

Using up seeds close to 'sow by date'

By Margaret Bartczak

It's snowing ...the growing season is over. I've just gone through all the seed packets left from this year and checked the 'sow by date' removing all which expire this year. Quite a bit. Now is the time to use them by growing microgreens. It's like growing cress in egg cups.

You need small seed trays (or recycle mushroom/fruit punnets - punch some holes in them) leftover compost, seeds and a windowsill which will get 4 hours of sun.

What can be grown? List is very long, but in general: all herbs, all from cabbage family, any lettuce, beets, radish, peas, carrot, celery, chinese veg, alfalfa, sunflower, amaranth, red orach (collected a jam jar of seeds from my own crop).

How? Easy - fill a tray with compost, stand in water until the compost on top is wet, place on a newspaper and allow to drain. Scatter the seeds generously over the surface, cover with compost (or paper towel - spray it with water), cover with plastic bag, put it on the windowsill and don't let the compost dry out. Remove cover after germination.

Harvest (cut with scissors) when seedlings are 10 cm long. (Some are ready in 4 days). Use in sandwiches, salads, as a garnish. You can mix seeds - select these which have the same germination time. Plants won't re-sprout once harvested - so keep sowing every week.