Page 41 - ALG Issue 4 2022

TOP TIP:
Lemon balm seedlings are yummy. A zing of lemon to sprinkle over a dessert such as a vanilla cheesecake or some ice cream.
chard for yellow, red and white stemmed shoots. So pretty and packed with goodness
6. Spinach - Mild flavour but good source of iron and vitamin K
7. Mustard - Adds a touch of spice to your food
8. Amaranth-Prettyredshootsofred amaranth have a mild beet flavour and are nutritious
9. Kale - A nutty flavour but mild. Very healthy
10. Onion - The flavour of onions in a tiny package but not overpowering
OTHERS TO TRY
Carrot, mizuna, cabbage, leek, red mustard, pak choi, cress, sunflower, rocket. And to add a punch as a top dressing to a dish, try basil, coriander, basil, parsley, sorrel, nasturtium and chervil.
HOW TO GROW MICROGREENS
CONTAINERS TO USE
You can use pretty much any container as these crops don’t have deep roots. Recycled plastic food boxes that you buy strawberries or mushrooms in make good containers. Some have holes in the bottom which is ideal to aid drainage. If you are really careful with watering, you don’t even need to put holes in the bottom which means you can place straight on a windowsill.
Shallow troughs are ideal because you don’t need much growing medium to fill them, yet you have a large surface area of leaf growth.
GROWING MEDIUM
Microgreens tend to harvest when only 1-5intallroughlyandsotheydon’tneed a great depth of root. You can grow cress on some damp kitchen paper
but for a little longevity to the leaves
try some Perlite, Vermiculite or some multi-purpose compost. You could
just sprinkle a covering of Perlite or Vermiculite over the seeds which helps prevent the seedlings rotting and keeps them nice and clean. Avoid using soil
in this instance as you will get weeds
Micro- greens tend to harvest when only 1-5in tall
seedlings, some of which may not be edible.
WHERE TO GROW MICROGREENS
In the depths of winter, a south facing windowsillinthehouseisidealbut
if it is too warm you may get leggy seedlings very quickly so it is worth experimenting. A cooler unheated conservatory or porch may be better. If you have growing lights and a heated bench in your greenhouse you can really go to town and grow a lot of healthy shoots all winter long.
Article provided by Kitchen Garden magazine – this is a monthly magazine packed with growing tips on all your favourite crops plus information on new varieties, allotment visits and reader tips. Plus, projects, money saving ideas and regular free seeds. For more information go to www.kitchengarden.co.uk
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 41