You don’t need a fancy greenhouse and a whole lot of patience to grow your own food. In fact, these seeds will harvest in just seven days and will thrive on windowsill – even in the colder months
Want to grow your own produce, but too impatient to wait months?
Watching your own food turn from a tiny seed to a fully grown tomato is impressive, but it can also take more than 100 days for most salad items to harvest. You will also need enough space in your garden, or access to an allotment, a long with a slew of other products to keep your food protected during the colder months.
However, microgreens can harvest in as little as seven days and can be grown on your windowsill. They can also be sown all year round and won’t suffer if this winter is as dreary as the last. They make a great addition to soups, omelettes, stir-frys and even sandwiches.
Microgreens are effectively baby plants that are grown from seedlings, and are usually picked before they reach full size. They’re jam-packed with nutrients including magnesium, vitamin C, folate, and can be eaten both raw and cooked.
According to Gardeners’ World, microgreens are all grown in the same simple way, by sowing seeds into compost in a ‘dense but evenly spaced line’, using your finger to make a ‘shallow drill in the compost. Then, place them in the light, and keep them lightly watered.
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“They can be grown in just about anything, from seed trays and old yoghurt pots to pieces of guttering, and should be ready to harvest just one or two weeks after sowing,” the publication added. When your microgreens are ready to harvest, you can either snip them off at the base or pull them up from the roots. For a constant supply of the vitamin-packed food, make sure to keep potting!
How long do microgreens take to grow
- Radish: 7 days
- Coriander: 14 days
- Broccoli: 7 days
- Spinach: 10 days
- Beetroot: 10 days
- Rocket: 7 days
- Fennel: 10 days
You can pick up microgreens seedlings from your nearest garden centre or online. For example, Amazon is currently selling a Microgreens kit for beginners for just £13.
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