Microgreens can be taught to everyone, not just adults. Let’s face it, most children stay inside and play video games. What do children know about farming, besides crops and cows. This is the current stigma which has been associated with farming for the longest time. That’s great and all, but along came microgreens. Watching the microgreens sprout is really something that can’t be explained. It’s exciting and might inspire children to be urban farmers or just entrepreneurs. Introducing microgreens to children at a young age is engaging and fulfilling. It’s become a field where innovation is key and the younger generation has plenty of ideas. It’s also a fun and exciting way to connect kids with nature.
Here at Nick Greens Grow Team we worked with Kipp One Academy Charter school and had put in place a program that developed an understanding of where food comes. It was a success as the children and faculty all had to work together to make this work. This made it possible for children to connect and appreciate the food they eat. They might even want to eat veggies if they see them in the form of microgreens. Having the microgreens program also gave children the fundamentals. The fundamentals are important because children can attempt to grow much more challenging microgreens.
Here is our the steps to grow at home with your children:
Grab a 10X20 tray with drainage holes and fill it 1" thick with moist coco coir.
Weigh 14 grams of arugula microgreens Seeds into seed shaker, then broadcast evenly across the 10X20 tray.
Apply an even mist of water to the tray, then cover it with a humidity dome and place it in a dark space.
Germinate for two or three days in a dark location with at least 75% - 80% humidity. Water as described in step three at least once a day.
Remove humidity dome from tray on day two/three. Then begin feeding plants your favorite fertilizer using a low flood/continuous flow method of irrigation.
Micro Arugula will be ready for harvest around 7-14 days, They will need about 8 to 16 hours of light with a typical fluorescent grow light about 12"-15" from the base of the plant.
It’s a fun process and gets children to get active and appreciate the world. Who knows maybe your child will start a whole urban farm in your backyard or basement.
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