TINY GREENS BIG FLAVORS
WILL GROWING MICRO GREENS BE THE NEXT PANDEMIC PASTIME?
The cold winds and rain of January clash mightily with our culinary dreams of adding bright, flavorful herbs and vegetables to our meals, but there is some tiny magic to be had in the form of microgreens.
We’re talking barely germinated plants that, with the snip of the scissors, can provide those flavors we’ve been missing ever since our summer garden went fallow.
Growing microgreens is not only a tasty thing to do, but it’s a lot of fun, says Louise Christy, a Santa Clara Master Gardener experienced in growing microgreens.
All you need is some potting soil, a shallow tray, a lot of seeds, a little water and a warm spot in your home. Best of all, you won’t have to wait months for the crop to develop — in about 10 days you can have the taste of basil, radishes, mustard greens, broccoli and more.
Your harvest won’t be enough to make a big salad, Christy says. That’s because you’ll be eating the first sprouts emerging from the seeds, not waiting for the plant to grow and produce fruit. But your micro garden will offer plenty of flavor you can add to your dishes or use to garnish your sandwiches.
“It’s not complicated, and it’s not difficult,” Christy says. “You’re not going to get much food — just tiny amounts at a time. But it is a lot of fun.”
Christy should know. She started growing microgreens as part of her role managing a culinary garden for a French restaurant in Mountain View. The chef was looking for particular microgreens for garnishes, and although she hadn’t grown them before, Christy offered to try. She was so successful and enjoyed it so much that she built it into a business she operated from 2011 to 2016.
Cody Lake and his wife, Melanie, agree on the fun aspect of growing microgreens. The couple own Carmel Valley’s Lake Family Forest Farms, which specializes in microgreens, mushrooms and seasonal produce.
There is a bit of a learning curve to growing microgreens, Lake says: “Each type of microgreen can be different and require different care. Give it several tries.”
The rewards are well worth the effort, Lake says. He recommends using them “in large quantities in smoothies, salads and sandwiches. Use as a garnish on every dish for added nutrition and protein.”
“Have fun,” Lake says, “be happy, be healthy.”