When size matters
The wet weather has been welcomed by my gardens this spring as it has greatly increased the amount of seeds that have successfully germinated. This has resulted in my vegetable garden looking like a miniature forest albeit only a couple of inches high. As a result I need to thin out the excess plants to make way for a select few to grow through to maturity.
Instead of discarding or composting these miniature plants I will harvest them with siccors and toss them up in a micro-green salad.
Micro-greens began popping up in higher end restaurants in the American southwest during the 90’s when chefs began re-inventing plating styles, incorporating a variety of shapes, colours and stacking their menu items into delicate little mounds. Atop of these artfully prepared props of food the chef would often place a small bundle of freshly trimmed micro-greens to enhance the beauty and freshness with their distinct flavours and fresh, delicate textures.
It is important to understand that micro-greens are not the same as sprouts. A sprout is a seed that has been germinated in a seed dense, wet environment that results in a thick tangled mass comprising of the entire plant being the seed, its roots, a stem and the first set of pale, underdeveloped leaves. Sprouts are often harvested within a couple of days. The excessive moisture in producing sprouts has been the source of numerous food borne illnesses around the world most commonly caused by salmonella. Comparably micro-greens are planted in a low density manner in soil. They are exposed to high levels of light and air circulation and may require two to six weeks to produce a harvest. These micro-plants are on average about 3-6 cm in height and consist of three components, the stem, two embryonic leaves, and the first pair of very young true leaves. The first true leaves are fully opened and expanded. Micro-greens are sold often still in its soil filled trays and are harvested by cutting them with scissors just above the soil and are meant to be instantly consumed.
You can purchase ready to eat micro-greens at natural food stores and farmers’ markets, throughout our area but you may want to try growing and harvesting your own If you’ve got a windowsill, you’ve got the space and light necessary to grow a variety of nutrient-rich micro greens. It is easy to do and guarantees you a quick successful harvest making it a suitable project for children and may help in getting kids to eat their veggies. Almost any vegetable can be consumed as a micro-green which allows for an endless variety of flavours and colours to be added to your kitchen.
For those who are serious about growing micro-greens I suggest you visit Mumm’s Sprouting located in Parkside Saskatchewan. Their on-line store ships direct around the globe and their website is full of instructional resources for those wanting to explore the world of micro-greens.
Having the ability to harvest micro-greens immediately before eating them reduces nutrient loss that occurs when mature vegetables are transported often great distances once harvested. Recent studies have shown that an ounce of micro-greens contains more vitamins and minerals than an ounce of the fully matured plant itself and are rich in anti-oxidants.
Iceberg Lettuce Micro-greens
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