Microgreens in my windowsill.

I had thought once of growing my own sprouts, then never really did it. And this semester I took a nutrition/food/environment class (the best I have ever taken by the way), and we had to grow sprouts.

I was an experiment or a game, depending on who you are. Or a pain.

To me it was all of that, except a pain. I love doing things by myself, especially when it touches food. So we did the experiment, and then I thought I could share it with you.

Day 1:

I got two containers of the same size that fit one inside the other. They can be lunch boxes, planting trays or hummus containers.

I put some wet soil in one of the container, packet it down and spread some sprouting seeds on top. As I learned, if they are big, they want to be close to each other, if they are small they want to be separated. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know. (actually, now I know, you can check out this site for more information XXXXXXX)

Spray your seeds with water (you will probably need a pshiiit pshiiit thing, I used a syringe like this). Put the second container inside the first one, then put a book or anything heavy on. By doing this, you are reproducing the conditions of a seed in the soil.

Spray your seeds twice a day and leave the pot in a dark place (don’t forget it in a closet, please). You can also leave it outside if your pots aren’t clear.

Day 4:

They grew so fast! I was supposed to put them out in my window after 7 days, but after watering them, I didn't put the second container back properly, and they gained in height. So I decided it was time for them to see the sunlight. And they loved it.

They probably tripled in size in 3 days, I am going to let them grow until they are about 10-15 cm and them cut them (they should grow back at least once). I still water them twice a day (or so).

If you see some white fluffy stuff near the seeds, it's probably not mold, but the roots that start growing. If the white stuff is on the dirt, then you may start worrying.

Day 10:

The greens are thriving and have now tripled in size. I will wait until they are about 15 cm long and then cut them. They should grow back once or twice.

Day 30:

I had my greens today on a hummus toast. They tasted just like greens. I must say that it was a very exciting experience, I'm now waiting to see if they grow back. I will update you on that on Instagram (@plants_from_seeds).

This was a successful first experience. I will definitely sprout more stuff in the future.

Here is the information I found about the nutritional value of sprouts and micro greens:

"Researchers found microgreens like red cabbage, cilantro, and radish contain up to 40 times higher levels of vital nutrients than their mature counterparts (WebMD)."