ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
Quantity of Microgreens Pea seeds: 35 grams per wooden tray
Pre-soak: 6-12 hours (cold water)
Temperature / Humidity Levels: The ideal temperature for growing is around 70° F (68 to 72) - 21 degrees Celsius
Downtime: 3-5 days
Germination rate: high
Germination time: 2 to 3 days
Microgreens Harvest time: 8 to 12 days
Ideal Harvest: 10 days
Micro Pea flavour: crunchy, slightly sweet, fresh
Please note that there are extra notes at the end. We recommend that you read the whole guide before you start sowing your seeds.
Day 1 - Germination stage - Sow your seeds
Step 1: Soak your pea seeds in cold water for about 6-8 hours. Then drain the water and rinse the pea seeds several times making sure they are clean. The reason we soak the pea sprouts is to soften the outer shell and in turn this helps with germination.
Step 2: Add 375ml of water to one coconut brick in a large mixing bowl. This will hydrate the coconut fiber and create volume. The brick will make enough coco for the four wooden trays. Be sure to mix well and break up any lumps.
Step 3: Using one of your wooden trays, add the coconut fiber to the tray so that the tray is full. Make sure the coir is level, it doesn't need to be compacted but should be evenly distributed in the tray. Gently tamp the surface to smooth it out.
Step 4: The coir should be damp enough after hydrating it, but if the coir seems a bit dry, you can lightly mist the top with water. You want the coir to be moist but not too wet or too soggy.
Step 5: Spread the pre-soaked pea seeds evenly over the coir (they will be quite thick) and tamp very gently to ensure contact with the coir. The seeds should not overlap and rest directly on the coconut fiber.
Step 6: Spray water over the entire surface.
Step 7: Place another wooden tray on top to cover the seeds.
Step 8: Place the wooden tray on the black tray, then use the second black tray upside down on top of the tray(s) to ensure there is little light on the seeds below. The top tray acts as a lid.
Step 9: Place is a dark, warm place. Ideally not a closet. It is important to have good air circulation around your microgreens to ensure that there are no mold issues. A small fan can help achieve this very well. Make sure the surface you place your tray on (shelf or table top) is level so that when you water later the water evenly reaches all of your plants and not just one end of your bottom tray .
Step 10: Later in the day, uncover your top tray, remove the top wooden tray and spray mist directly onto the pea seeds.
Day 2 - Germination Stage
Spray the mist thoroughly with water twice a day (uncover your top tray, remove the wooden top basket and spray directly onto the pea seeds).
Keep covered with the top black tray and keep warm.
Observe your seeds, you will start to see white/yellow sprouts
Day 3
Spray the mist thoroughly with water twice a day (uncover your top tray, remove the wooden top basket and spray directly onto the pea seeds).
Keep covered with the top black tray and keep warm.
Observe your seeds, you will start to see white/yellow shoots grow a little more and if they are, you can now remove the wooden trays covering your seeds.
After watering, place the top black tray over the seeds. Today / tomorrow the top tray will act as a lid, it creates a dome effect covering your seeds but leaving them a little space to grow upwards. Moving you into the blackout phase.
Day 4 - Blackout Stage
Spray the mist thoroughly with water twice a day (uncover your top tray and spray directly on the pea seeds).
This step is often forgotten but we think it is a very important step. Keeping your seeds in the dark for an additional 24 hours slightly stresses the plants as they try to find light. What happens under the dome (top shelf) is that the shoots grow upwards and in turn lengthen in height. This small amount of stress actually strengthens the stems and overall your plants will be slightly taller and stronger once they reach the light (tomorrow)
Day 5 - Step into the light
When you first move your seeds from the extinction stage into the light they will be yellow/white in colour, this is to be expected as they have been deprived of all light so far. The leaves begin to change color quickly (after a few hours) as the light stimulates the leaves.
Remove the top black tray and move your greens to an area where they can receive light. This can be indoors or outdoors (in warmer months). Your microgreens will grow more evenly if you keep them out of direct sunlight. If you decide to use a windowsill, be sure to turn the tray regularly to ensure even growth of your plants.
A favourable temperature range of 18-24°C and a relative humidity (RH) of 40-60% would meet the needs of most plants.
Make sure the surface you place your tray on (shelf or table top) is level so that when you water later the water evenly reaches all of your plants and not just one end of your bottom tray .
Once you move your pea shoots into the light, you continue to water twice a day. The only difference is that you now only water from below, which means you pour water into the bottom black tray, making sure the water covers the entire tray. The holes in the wooden trays allow water to penetrate the coir and nourish the roots of your plants. When watering, if you are unsure how much water to use, we recommend less and keep checking your plants. If the wooden trays feel heavy, the coir is probably moist enough. If the coir surface seems dry, add more water. Generally, the center of the trays holds the most water and the outer edges will be drier.
Day 6 - 7 - 8 - 9
Once you move your pea shoots into the light, you continue to water twice a day from below.
A favourable temperature range of 18-24°C and a relative humidity (RH) of 40-60% would meet the needs of most plants.
Depending on sunlight / grow light, be sure to turn the tray regularly to ensure even growth of your plants.
Day 8 - 10 - Harvest day
For pea shoots we find the best day to harvest is day 10, but if you prefer a younger/sweeter tasting plant then day 8 is also recommended. After day 10 the pea shoots continue to grow and will become more bitter and fibrous in taste and texture if left too long.
To harvest your Pea Shoots
We recommend using a sharp knife (rather than scissors) to cut your live micro-greens, this ensures they stay fresh longer.
Have fun experimenting with using your Microgreens with different dishes - Harvest, Eat and Repeat
Microgreens Pea shoots are ideal for
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Served with an omelet
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with seafood, such as shrimp
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toppings on salad bowls
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in wraps / sandwiches / burgers / veggie burgers
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added to soups
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added to pasta dishes, risottos
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with a cheese platter
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With stews
Pairs well with
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Lentils
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Goat cheese
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Carrots
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Tomato
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Stewed Chicken/Beef
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White fish
Pea shoots are an excellent source of three chemoprotective agents: folate, antioxidants and carotene. Folate helps produce and maintain cells and protects against DNA damage. Antioxidants help the body fight free radical damage, which is commonly associated with a high risk of cancer.
Please click here to download the PDF in either French or English
Extra Notes :
Growing Medium - In our grow-room we use a mix of compost and vermiculite to grow our plants. We recommend using this medium. Please note : for convenience and ease we have included coconut coir into our Micro Starter Packs so that you can get started straight away growing microgreens. If you enjoy the process and wish to continue growing on a regular basis then we recommend sourcing compost and vermiculite from you local garden centre.
Vermiculite helps to aerate soil while simultaneously retaining water and nutrients, which it then releases over time. Vermiculite is therefore useful in seed sowing and propagation.
Coco Coir is short for Coconut Coir and is made directly from actual coconuts. This material is made out of coconut fiber. Coconut coir is one of the most effective growing media for water retention out there. It can absorb up to 10x its weight in water, meaning the roots of your plants will never get dehydrated. Coir is 100% organic and a renewable resource, it is uniform in composition, odourless, provides good drainage / good aeration, high water holding capacity, great absorption, and promotes strong root growth.
Our Wooden Punnets - 250ml in size. 100% biodegradable with their composition in wood from French poplar resources managed in an eco-responsible way and without treatment. Food safe.
Air Flow - What we use are the computer fans that help to keep air flowing. What we use are the computer fans that help to keep air flowing. For every level of our vertical grow space we have a computer fan fitted. Plus we use table top and pedestal fans situated in different areas of the room which helps to keep a good constant circular flow of air around the plants. We use a dehumidifier in our grow room to keep the humidity levels at a maximum of 60%. The ideal temperature to grow is around 70° F (68 to 72) = 21°C . Favourable temperature range of 18 to 24°C and relative humidity (RH) of 40 to 60 per cent would meet the needs of most plants.
Heat - During the germination stage it’s important to ensure your seeds have warmth. At this stage this is what they need, they don’t need light to germinate. We don’t use heat pads underneath our trays. If you have one then you can use one but we prefer to keep our grow space at a constant good all year temperature and have portable heaters for the cooler months which have thermostats/ timers to keep a constant temperature in the grow-room.
Germination / Black Out Stage - we have a section in our grow room for our germination/ black out stage. As the grow room is a working room it is not 100% in darkness but the system we use to add an extra tray over the germinating seeds is enough to gives the seeds enough darkness that they need. When we write black out it doesn’t mean it is required to be 100% black (dark).
Moving from germination to blackout stage will depend on the growth of your plants. Do not worry if some plants need a little longer than 3/4 days in these stages. One reason may be down to temperature as the plants will take longer to germinate if the temperature isn’t warm enough.
Watering - we water twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. During the germination and black out stages we water using a mister and water the seeds from the top. When the seeds move into the light (approx day 4/5) we then ONLY water from the bottom, meaning pour water into the bottom black tray, ensuring the water covers the entire tray. The holes in the wooden punnets allow the water to soak up into the coir and feed the roots of your plants. When watering if you are unsure of how much water to use, we recommend less and keep checking your plants. If the wooden punnets feel heavy then the coir is probably moist enough. If the surface of the coir looks dry then add more water. Generally the centre of the punnets hold the most water and the outer edges will be drier.
Grow Lights - All crops need sunlight and darkness to grow. So in our indoor vertical grow room the lights are kept on for a total of 15-18 hours each day. Then we switch them off. Some microgreen growers leave there lights on 24/7 but we don’t recommend doing this as in our experience it doesn’t increase the size of the plants and it doesn’t quicken the time needed before harvest, in fact we have seen the opposite. By giving the plants a break from the light it actually produces stronger, healthier plants. The cycles of nature light / dark are important to growing great microgreens.
If you want to more information about what grow lights we use please get in touch. If you decide to use a grow light then it is best positioned above your plants (approx a distance of 21-22cm above) so that your plant grows evening upwards towards the light.
Composting & Cleaning - Once you have harvested your microgreens then the waste can go in the compost, this included the wooden punnet, if you do not wish to reuse for another grow. Keep your microgreen trays clean, once used, wash with hot soapy water, dry well (ideally in the sunlight as this helps to kill any bacteria) and store well.
Storing Seeds - store your seed packets in a cool dry place. We use air tight containers with small rechargeable humidity sachets inside.
Mold / Root Hair what is the difference? - Root hair has a bright white color and radiates from the roots only. It helps the plant to absorb moisture and nutrients. Mold or mildew, in contrast, has a white grayish tint, appears not only in the root zone and spreads everywhere with long threads like a spider web. If you are still not sure whether you have mold or root hairs, the best test is with a spray bottle. Spray water over the area. If it is root hairs, they will seem to disappear completely when wet. Mold will not disappear, but will gather water droplets and lay against the soil and greens.
Please click here to download the PDF in either French or English
