Planning for Microgreens #2

Choose the types of microgreens to grow

Some microgreens are easier than others to grow. Some are very fussy in terms of temperature and moisture requirements and/or take a long time to grow. I recommend starting with Brassicas. If you are following this series of articles, my instructions will apply to all kinds of Brassicas. Brassicas are a family of vegetables that include broccoli, collards, kale, cabbages, broccoli raab, and arugula. If you want to see what different kinds of microgreens look like at the microgreen stage, get a copy of my Visual Guide to Microgreens here.  They are reliable microgreens to grow and only take 12-14 days to reach harvest stage. You might want to choose a mix of two or three to start with. There are different varieties of each and they vary in color and flavor. You also need to decide if you want to use organic seed or conventional seed. Organic seed can cost twice as much conventional seed.

Notes on different varieties –

Broccoli – I usually pick the cheapest variety I can find. We run a certified organic operation so are required to use organic seed.

Kale – you can try many different varieties of kale. There are green curly kale, flat leaf kale (like dinosaur or lacinato kale), and kales that have red or purple highlights. Some are kind of lacy looking, like Siberian kale. Experiment with different varieties. I find a standard green kale is usually the most economical and has a fine flavor.

Cabbages – Green or red can be grown as microgreens. Green is cheaper and I usually stick with that one but either will work well.

Broccoli Raab – A bit different from broccoli and I can often find it cheaper than I can regular broccoli.  

Your Assignment:

Tell me what microgreen variety or varieties you will choose to start with. You can comment on our Facebook page, Paradise Acres Farm MI.