With the recent surge of interest in organic vegetables and the interest growing among the general public, it is no wonder that microgreens for sale are experiencing a surge in popularity. This is one vegetable group that is enjoying a surge in interest among consumers. It is no mystery that microgreens are easy to grow and are perfect for any kind of climate. In fact, this green has even been recognized as a “superfood” by the National Organic Standards Board.
Microgreens have some major advantages over other vegetables. For one thing, they are very easy to store and can last for up to two years if they are properly stored. They are very versatile and can be used in a wide variety of recipes. Microgreens for sale in South Africa come in many varieties, including both the common cold season vegetables such as chicory, spinach, kale and collard greens and onions and garlic. You can also find them sprouting tomatoes and zucchini.
While microgreens are easy to grow they also come with a number of disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages is that they do not taste very good when eaten raw. Because of this you should be prepared to treat them prior to eating them. Fortunately this little vegetable has come a long way in the development of its seed. You can now find microgreens for sale that have been treated with herbs to give them a delightful taste.
Along with the growth and ease of planting microgreens for sale in South Africa, they are also easy to germinate and to harvest. This is because the plants are anchored to the platform on which they are growing and do not require staking. This is an important factor to remember when starting new plants for a garden. Without stake there is no support so they will not grow properly.
Microgreens are very easy to germinate. The young seeds need only be thrown into boiling water with a teaspoon of salt for about 15 minutes. This prepares the seeds for planting. After ensuring that the seeds are warm enough, a simple finger food meal can be made out of them
The ease of harvesting means that the plants can be picked up from any flat surface. It does mean that once a plant has matured you have to put it into a tray to keep it cool while you place it into your fridge. A further disadvantage of picking up the plants is that you must do this quite often as there are not many plants available in one area. You may therefore find it more convenient to hand carry some of your crop. For this reason you will probably want to buy microgreens for sale from a local store.
Once you have got hold of your crop, it is important to take good care of it. If you do not then it could quickly spread to your neighbour’s plants and cause them a lot of problems. Microgreens for sale in South Africa generally do require very good lighting. So ensure that you have a good fluorescent or LED grow light and that the plants get their required amount of sunlight throughout the day. This should be increased over the winter months when the sun is weaker.
As with most African vegetables the microgreens have a high level of nitrogen. This makes them highly attractive to farmers but it also means that they are highly vulnerable to pests and diseases. Fortunately most insects will not be attracted to the leafy green plants. There are some insects that do however like to eat these greens so you should have good watering techniques in place to prevent the plants becoming bare and rotting.