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  • From: Miranda Smith <miranda@tagoresmith.com>
  • To: gardenwriters-on-gardening <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [gwl-g] Micro Greens
  • Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 12:30:16 -0500

Doreen Howard wrote:


What is the best medium to use for growing? And, do the seeds need to be started on a heat mat?

I used a compost-based soil mix--you don't want to have to add nutrients--too time comsuming and too expensive. You may want to mix your own medium, but do a cress test on your compost before adding it to a mix to be certain that all the phytotoxins are gone. You also want fast drainage but good moisture retention--vermiculite is a good addition. The volume of mix you use is high enough so that it's best to throw it onto the compost pile after you cut the greens--you can recycle it to some extent this way.

The need for a heating mat depends on the season and the crop. For example, if you are growing golden purslane or a fancy chard in January or February, you'll need to start it on a heating mat. But crops such as cress or kale don't need the mat as long as your ambient temperatures are 60 F or so. Similarly, you will need to start some crops under shade in summer--don't even think about starting a brassica when the ambient temperatures are above 80--germination will be poor enough so that you'll end up wasting a lot of seed.

Best,

Miranda





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