Microgreens can fails to grow properly because of improper seed density. When you grow microgreens, you must manage an amount of seeds you place in a growing tray. If you place too many seeds in a tray, you create a dense environments where moisture is trapped and airflow is reduced.
When moisture is trapped and airflow is reduced, mold can grow on the microgreens. If you place too few seeds in a tray, the tray will appear empty, and you will waste growing medium and time. Therefore, you must understand the relationship between the size of a seed and the amount of seed require for a tray.
How Much Seed to Use for Microgreens
The amount of seed required for a tray depend on the type of seed you are using. Large seeds, such as sunflower seeds or pea seeds, requires a large amount of seed weight to fill a tray. Small seeds, such as amaranth seeds or arugula seeds, require a very small amount of seed weight to fill a tray.
Because seed sizes varies, the seeding rate must vary. You should not treat all seeds in the same way, because different seeds has different requirements. Large seeds, such as corn seeds or sunflower seeds, often require a pre soak before you plant the seeds.
A pre-soak involves placing the seeds in water for several hours to soften the outer shell of the seed. If you do not pre-soak large seeds, the seeds may not germinate evenly, and some seeds may remain dormant while other seeds sprout. Thus, a pre-soak ensures that the seeds germinate at the same time so that the microgreens grows at the same time.
The growth cycle of microgreens involve a blackout phase and a light phase. During the blackout phase, you keep the microgreens in the dark and you may place a weight on top of the microgreens to press the seeds into the growing medium. Pressing the seeds into the growing medium help the seeds to anchor their roots into the medium.
After the blackout phase, you transition the microgreens to the light phase by introducing light. During the light phase, you must provide light and consistently moisture to the microgreens so that the microgreens can grow upward. Temperature and airflow is important during the light phase because temperature and airflow affect how the microgreens grow.
If you maintain correct temperature and airflow, the microgreens will grow strong and sturdy. If you do not maintain correct temperature and airflow, the microgreens may grow taller and weakest, and tall and weak microgreens may fall over. Consistency is necessary for succesful microgreen growing.
Many growers use a digital scale to weigh their seeds because using a digital scale ensure that every tray is identical. When you weigh your seeds, you know exactly how much seed you are using, and you know exactly how much yield you will recieve. If you weigh your seeds, you can predict how much revenue each tray will generate.
You must respect the specific needs of each seed variety to ensure a successful harvest.