Growing Microgreens without Soil

Add a Healthy Touchup to your Food

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Microgreens consist of roots, stems and cotyledon leaves. The stem and leaves of microgreens are concentrated in nutrients making them a potent superfood.

Eating just 50 grams of micro greens per day can meet your recommended daily

nutrient requirements. You can completely replace taking vitamin tablets by consuming microgreens.

Microgreens can be grown from various seeds(mustard,flaxseed,chia seed,green gram etc). Their taste can vary greatly depending on the variety.

Microgreens are much healthier, has more nutritional value and enhanced

taste than sprouts as they are concentrated with enzymes, flavonoids and

natural flavor.

There are many ways to include microgreens in your diet.They can be incorporated into a variety of dishes, including sandwiches, wraps and salads.

Microgreens may also be blended into smoothies or juiced. Wheatgrass juice is a popular example of a juiced microgreen.

Another option is to use them as garnishes on pizzas, soups, omelets and curries

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How to Grow Microgreens

I have grown microgreens without soil and found it the most effective and easy method.

There are two ways to do this :

Growing Microgreens on a tissue paper or directly in water

Microgreens on Tissue Paper

Soak the seeds for two hours and it varies for the type of seed you are using . 
I soaked mustard seeds for 2 hours but chia added directly as Chia seeds form gel like when contact with water.
Take any container , a plastic parcel container or a soap dish which you plan to throw
Make four small holes at the bottom of the dish for water to drain
Place a tissue paper evenly on the base of the dish
Add the seeds evenly without overlapping on the tissue paper
Cover with another tissue paper on the seeds and sprinkle some water to keep it moist
Keep it in  a dark place until it sprouts which usually takes two days depending on the seed and keep it moist by spraying with water whenever the tissue is dry
Now place it in indirect sunlight (maybe a kitchen window or balcony). Keep spraying water whenever the tissue looks dry. Atleast two times a day and also depends on the weather.You can see roots growing below the tissue paper 
You will see growth of leaves on third and fourth day like in the picture above. Continue to spray water and you can harvest in 6-8 days

Cut the steam and leaves and use in salads, or any dish of your choice

Microgreens grown in water (Hydroponics)

In this method I have used a sieve and a container with water below it.
Soak the seeds for two hours incase of green gram which is visible in the picture above but chia seeds were added directly on the sieve.(This method is effective for growing chia microgreens)
Add water just enough to touch the base of the sieve. There should not be water above the sieve.
Sprinkle the seeds evenly on top of the sieve
Cover with cloth and place it in a dark place until it sprouts
Once you see sprouting place the setup in indirect sunlight
Change water everyday or atleast two days once .
This is an easy and most effective method where you dont even have to keep spraying water like the tissue paper method.
You will see growth of the root below the sieve touching the water.
In six days there will be a beautiful growth of microgreen leaves which you can use in your daily food.

Below are some pictures of Chia Microgreen .

Most of the vegetables and fruits we buy are loaded with pesticides and fertilisers adding more toxins to our body than nutrition. Offcourse its difficult for most of us living in apartments to grow our own veggies.

But this can be a simple way to add some nutrition to your diet and you can manage it even if you have a busy schedule

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