In this article I will share with you the techniques we use at Be Leaf Microgreens so you can grow hundreds of dollars worth of microgreens every month, for just a fraction of the cost. All you will need is a few basic supplies and about two cubic feet of growing space.
A few months ago I started a microgreens farm with my best friend @voyageluck. We had virtually zero farming experience but we thought it would be fun and we gave it a go. We rented out a 1600 square foot warehouse and started planting. Since then we've learned a ton and are now selling in several grocery stores, farmers markets, and restaurants.
Aside from growing in our warehouse, I've also been developing a home grow kit to sell online so people can enjoy growing their own delicios microgreens for themselves. To get started, you can buy our growing tray and hemp mats here:
or
You will also need some microgreen seeds. I recommend starting with radish or broccoli seeds from True Leaf Market: https://www.trueleafmarket.com/collections/micro-greens-planting-seed
Once you have those items follow these directions:
Fill tray half way with water.
Soak one hemp mat for 5 minutes. (Water will turn brown from hemp fibers, this is normal.)
Drain excess water.
Spread seeds directly on mat. For smaller seeds like broccoli and radish we use 2 oz of seed. For larger seeds like sunflower and pea we use 5 oz per tray and soak the seeds over night.
Mist seeds liberally with water from a spray bottle.
Mist with 3% hydrogen peroxide (optional)
Place seed tray in resealable bag (included in our starter kit linked above), leave end open.
Place in a warm (75-80 degrees F.) and dark area for 3-5 days. Mist daily with water. A germination heat mat can also be used under the bag. Here is a video of how to mist your seeds while they are germinating. The tray is in the window only for filming purposes. It should still be kept out of direct light until it has finished it's germination stage.
When most of the seeds have germinated and microgreens are 1-2 inches tall, remove from bag and place under light or in window. Keep temp between 65-72 degrees. We use a 12 hr on 12 hr off light cycle.
Once under light, lift corner of hemp mat and pour 1-2 cups of water in bottom of tray daily. No need to mist when they are under the light.
Most microgreens are ready to harvest between 7 and 12 days after planting. Growing great microgreens takes practice! Results will vary.
If you do not have a south facing window to put your tray under, use a florescent shop light or LED tube light set on a timer for 12 hrs on, 12 hrs off.
I am in the process of manufacturing the microgreens grow light kit pictured below.
The LED lights put off just enough heat to help germinate the seeds in the tray above while the light grows the microgreens below. It is a very efficient system and only uses about $1 of electricity a month. If you would be interested in buying one of these when they come out, send me an email at [email protected].
The final product:
With this simple grow system you can harvest a full tray of Radish Microgreens like the one pictured above every 3.5 days. We sell these trays for $25.
Here are some links to my previous articles about Be Leaf Microgreens:
https://steemit.com/business/@austinhopper/the-story-behind-be-leaf-microgreens
https://steemit.com/food/@austinhopper/7rkby7y2
https://steemit.com/business/@austinhopper/vertical-farm-start-up-vlog-5-automated-watering
https://steemit.com/business/@austinhopper/help-support-a-veteran-owned-vertical-farm-startup
This sounds like a great way to make a 'healthy' profit! ;-)
Good stuff. Thanks for the post.
You have a minor misspelling in the following sentence:
It should be fluorescent instead of florescent.