Micro greens

[Liquid lunch]

 For a long time eating anything at all was causing me to suffer exhaustion and severe pain so I try to eat things with the highest nutrient density possible so as to reduce the volume necessary.

Micro greens are up to 100x more nutritious than the plants they would become. They’re at their peak when the first set of true leaves begin to appear.

I tried all the different ways of growing them but most require daily maintenance and because my function was so low I failed more often than not. I’ve developed a method that requires little to no maintenance and mould  is no longer an issue so there is no need for adding hydrogen peroxide which is often how mould is prevented in commercially produced lettuce and cress. 
These greens in the photo were grown with only one watering required. I use a sous verde and silicone bags to cook the soil between harvests at 64.5c, this gets rid of any pathogens without effecting the diversity of friendly bacteria, many of the bacteria found in soil are missing from our microbiome which causes all sorts of health issues.

From this small section of my kitchen counter with an 18w led designed for a fish tank I produce 1/2 a pound per day of 12 different vegetables at the peak of their nutritional density which I make into green smoothies or use as a salad.

Adding pineapple and coconut water makes a very tasty and nutritious drink, if you’re not used to consuming high amounts of greens then following it with a cup of ginger tea will get rid of any gas you might get while becoming accustomed.

[Liquid lunch]

I’d love it if anyone else is up for trying this and sharing tips and recipes.

[Scott Adams]

Wow, this is great! It looks like you're growing them indoors, is that correct?

[Liquid lunch]

2 hours ago, Scott Adams said:

Wow, this is great! It looks like your growing them indoors, is that correct?

Hi @Scott Adams. That’s correct, on the end of my kitchen counter with an led attached to the underside of the cupboard above. Any cheap light or a sunny window sill works great if you have one.

I’ve amazed myself with the amount that can be produced like this, I just wish I could still eat sandwiches because these would be great in them but I’ve not yet found anything they don’t taste great with.

chopped up and mixed with scrambled egg is a favourite. Are you thinking of growing some?

[Scott Adams]

I think the only way for me would be outdoors, which is definitely possible here in Northern California. I have raised beds in my garden. I could cover them if it gets below freezing on an evening, or even build a clear plastic greenhouse type cover for Winter. 

Where to you order your micro green seeds?

[Liquid lunch]

They slow down a lot if it gets below 16c but otherwise I don’t see why not, I tried growing them outside here in the summer but they were drying out quicker in the wind and rats were going on them so I just keep them inside all year round now. I live on a canal boat so rats are always around.

I get the seeds from Amazon, they’re listed as being for micro greens, selected for germination rates and low mould contamination. You can get blends of different types, it’s loads cheaper to buy in bulk.

If you’re making your own mix then I’ve found it’s best to match seed sizes, peas and sunflowers don’t grow well with broccoli or kale which have tiny seeds.

Make sure the soil is completely flat because any wells and bumps cause clumping of the seeds, you can pretty much cover the surface as long as they’re not on top of each other.

Water the bed well then spread the seeds, spray lightly with water, and cover them with an upside down seed tray until they get about an inch tall. They green up really quick when you take the cover off. 
If I was doing them in a raised bed then I’d bury two parallel planks in the ground with the edges about 1cm above the surface, plant in between and it’ll be easier to harvest them by sliding a sharp knife along the planks. Harvesting gets tedious pretty quick using scissors.

I can’t see how these could contain gluten because the seed cases stay at the base of the stems below where you cut.

Please post pictures if you have any luck! If you have any issues I might be able to help as I’ve been doing this quite a while now but it’s pretty easy if you’re growing in soil so you should be fine.