There is a lot of discussion about food grade hydrogen peroxide for microgreens. Some people have successfully grown their own microgreens from recipes found on the Internet. Others are trying to grow plants with hydroponic nutrients found in water. What you should avoid is growing your own plants with any nutrient combinations that will produce toxic or even harmful berries.
For growing microgreens indoors make sure you have a quality perforated lid for planting your seeds. You can either water the bottom of the tray with water directly from the tap or raise the tray of growing microgreens up to the rim of the window to water under it. If you see any mold on the seeds, consider using a light misting with some distilled water, food grade hydrogen peroxide, and food grade silicone caulk.
You can add a little bleach and food coloring to your microgreen seedlings but never use any for harvesting. It will damage the quality of the crop you harvest from these vegetables. The amount of bleach and food coloring, you need to add will depend on how much Harvested microgreens you have.
Harvesting your Hydrogen Peroxide for Microgreens: You will need a pair of wire mesh or even a screen door to place your pots on. Drill holes in the bottom of the pot to allow for the water to soak in without being wasted. Place the pots on the mesh and fill them with the seeds you are going to be planting. Water the seeds gently but quickly after they are placed into the pots and then keep the pots in the same room temperature for the first 2 days.
After the initial cleaning and soaking process you will want to clear away any extra water left behind by watering the seeds. Place the pots into the sunny spot you marked on the back of the mesh tray. You will want to use a sanitizer solution that is safe to use on food. Do not use any soap or abrasive cleansers to clean the pots. The water from the soak should seep into the food grade silicone caulk that is already in the bottom of the pots. If the Sanitizing Chemicals have not already been added to the seed mixture, this will need to be done.
The last step is to add the food sanitizing chemicals. Make sure you follow the directions on the container for proper amounts and concentrations. Do not let them sit longer than 30 minutes as mold growing bacteria can easily develop if you leave them for longer. Hydrogen peroxide can be applied with a sponge or a scrub brush to the moldy areas to help remove any mold that still remains.
Once all the mold has been removed, place the pots back into their original potting medium. Cover the soil and let the microgreens begin to grow. They will require room temperature and partial shade to continue growing. You will have to check on the growth of your microgreens from time to time, as it will not be feasible to keep them completely green during the entire season.
Harvest your microgreens once every few weeks for best quality. The chlorophyll in the green will begin to break down as the greens begin to mature. This is when you will need to filter the water coming through the tray to remove the excess suspended organic matter. Be sure to rinse the tray off after each use and re-pot the tray for the next harvest.
Using filtered water is the best way to ensure the microgreens get all the nutrients they need from the growing medium. A lightweight growing medium is best because it is easier for the microgreens to get the nutrients that they need. It does not take long for the microgreens to develop a strong root system, but it will be important to give the vegetables regular water and nutrients throughout their growing process. It is also wise to keep the microgreens well watered at all times. If the water dries out too much during the drying phase of their life cycle, the microgreens may not have adequate water to stay healthy.
When the microgreen start to turn colors on the inside of the trays will look like an orange peel. This is a sign that the plant has now reached maturity. It will be time to separate the green seed from the orange peel. Remove the green seed from the trays and place it in the compost pile. Be sure to add some wood shavings in the pile to help the microgreen seeds germinate faster. Place the seed package back into the trays.
Once the microgreen harvesting period has passed, it is time to harvest your greens. Harvest the microgreens directly from the trays. Remove any foliage that is on the trays. Do not rinse the container before harvesting. Reuse the water and the compost container until the next harvest. With these simple tips, you can have healthy and delicious vegetables with little effort.