When I was growing up my first batch of microgreens I remember being excited as I saw the first plant to rise up and then quickly followed by a second. This was not only exciting for me, but my husband who was with me at the time also noticed that the felt growing mat for microgreens was expanding. The entire planting area had suddenly transformed into a small garden with rich, fertile soil.
This is when I knew I had found the perfect solution for our home vegetable garden. Not only is planting microgreens a fun activity (I love planting different vegetables in different colors) but using felt growing mats for microgreens provides me with another benefit. That benefit is additional food production. I can grow more vegetables because the felt grows extra food and I can provide more plants to enjoy.
How does a piece of felt to transform a garden? For starters, most of my plants are perennials so using a felt growing mat makes sense. Then, since microgreens do not go dormant like other vegetables do I know that they will produce their food supply every time the weather is warm. These are two reasons why I use a felt growing mat for my micro green plants. The first step to planting your own microgreens is to determine which plants you want to start with.
Once you have planted your microgreens, then you will need to prepare the area where the plants are going to be planted. If the area you are preparing is relatively cool or it snows during the spring months then you may want to choose an area with higher clay and rocks. This will allow your microgreen plants to get as much water as possible and it will also protect them from harsh weather.
When you are ready to plant your microgreens, you will need to remove the existing topsoil. If the area you have prepared already has sufficient topsoil, then you may skip this step. Otherwise, if you have not yet added topsoil then I would recommend that you add one small bag of topsoil, about the same size as you would like your plants to be, to the area. Do not forget to water the topsoil well, since it will make it much easier for your plants to germinate.
After adding the topsoil, you will want to prepare the area for planting your microgreen plants. Since planting these plants can sometimes be tricky, it is a good idea to stake a small stake directly in the area where you want to plant your plant. By staking your stake, it will keep the plant from spreading its roots too far in one place. You can also use a plastic stake if you do not have any stake to help keep the plant from spreading.
You will next need to choose a growing medium. Since microgreens are very light in weight, it is important that you select a medium that is very similar in weight to the amount of light your plant will require. I would suggest using mediums that are similar in weight to baby food. To make sure that your microgreen plants receive full coverage of light, I would suggest using a light house. A light house will ensure that the plant receives enough exposure to full sun during the day.
When it comes to watering your microgreen plants, you will want to follow a routine that is recommended by greenhouse experts. The fastest way to dry out your microgreen plants is to water at night. You should also water in the morning. By watering at night or early morning, it is less likely that your plants will be suffering from moisture stress. If you find that your plants are suffering from too much watering, you may want to water less in the future.